The nest day comes on swiftly after the adventurers lay their heads to rest and it isn't overly long after that they find themselves on approach to Oleg's Trading Post.
As they come up on the small frontier outpost they are flagged down by the ever-watchful Kasten Garess carrying two buckets of water on either end of a long pole over his shirt-less back but the weight doesn't seem to be over-much of a burden for the well-muscled man.
He bounds over to you all with an uncharacteristic smile on his normally dour face. "Well, well, well. If it isn't my old compatriot and brother-in-arms Falgrim Sneeg? My, my and might I just say you've never looked better. Tell me, have you lost weight?" The man taunts the adventurer's, sickly-looking, captive smugly.
Sneeg rolls his eyes so heavily one might worry they'd get lost in the back of his head. Fortunately, this does not come to pass as his expression settles into a spiteful glare at the sweaty guardsman. "Kesten Garess you sad sod, I ought to have known you'd have somethin' to do with this. Not enough for you to be a sorry son-of-a-b$$*~, you gotta make sure no one around ya can steal even a small ounce o' joy outta this cold-hard world now can ye?" He growls.
Kesten merely shrugs and continues his victorious smirk. "What can I say, it's part of my charm." The man laughs heartily then turns his attention to the other adventurers. "I must congratulate you all on a job well done. Brought your man in alive and... mostly well. You've more than earned your payment, four master-crafted weapons of your choosing just let me know and I'll have the order sent out right away..." He hesitates taking stock of the new gruff-looking man who is accompanying the adventurers back.
"Am I to assume that this capture implies other good news or am I getting ahead of myself? And if I might just inquire who is this new fellow you have with you? He looks..." The man pauses eying the ex-bandit warily. "... on the 'rougher' side."
It isn't that Signy expressly wants Akiros to come with them because she likes his company, or sees it as a great positive. More she views it as a cautionary measure. He seems to believe he is a danger to others, which makes it undesirable to bring him to Oleg's. It's equally undesirable to let him wander off to some other place for exactly the same reason.
At least at Oleg's an eye can be kept on him, and maybe some things can be done to ease his transition back into normal company, or at least prevent things from going badly wrong. In the long term, it's probably best Akiros go on his way. But before that happens Signy would like at least one more chance to defuse him.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Signy can't help but lick her lips when she sees Kasten; while at the same time silently bemoaning the miserable lack of options she has locally.
She almost stays quiet, but that's hard. Besides their most recent success, one personally satisfying to Kasten, makes her think it trumps the embarrassment toward him that still eats at her. Besides, Kasten's signature rudeness might make an answer coming directly from Akiros the kind that escalates things stupidly.
"The fort's taken Kasten, and the Stag Lord is dead. This is Akiros; you'd better understand looking a bit on the rougher side if you ever went anywhere out here." She just couldn't help herself from taking the opening. "He helped us win the fort and end the Stag Lord."
Lina isn’t very good at picking up on the finer points of how people work together, normally. (Plants are easier that way, normally, not least because so many of them are willing to speak slow and carefully, as it were.) But being selective and “Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies” is pretty basic, and she can pick up on the careful circling around Akiros’ introduction.
“It was glorious! A bit of subterfuge, a bit of grandstanding, and finally an end to some nastier sorts of bandits. Oh, and there were bits with owlbears and zombies too,” the witch enthuses, looking on the brighter side of Signy’s laconic announcement. Lina’s glance falls curiously on the topless soldier, if only because she can’t help but wonder why he’s carrying all that water. “You’ve been keeping busy too, I see. Washing day, is it?”
Anyway. What is one supposed to say to someone carrying a pole full of buckets? “We can talk swords and such later, maybe? We should probably say hello to our hosts. Svetlana will be glad to hear that we found flowers for her bouquet and all. There’s still a party to plan, last I heard!”
And dresses to sew and maybe music to practice and… Lina has so many ideas, and inevitably, her thoughts work around back to weapons, since Kesten brought them up. If we can find them again, I really should ask Tyg and Peri if they know if any wyrwood trees grow anywhere around here? Or if there’s a dryad around who would know?
“But since you mention it, do you think your smith could reforge something? Fold the steel stronger or whatnot – or just use it as a model for what we’ve got in mind?” She unbuckles and holds up her elven sword as she looks around for Oleg and Lana. As she does so, she reflects that it will be nice to have a few days that won’t call for such lengths of steel for a change.
It's good to be back, and comfortable to be greeted by Kesten in the (more-or-less) expected fashion. Showing off a bit, innately suspicious, and spurning any advances while somehow simultaneously seeming to welcome them.
The druid observes Kesten and Falgrim interacting with a bit of amusement as well. Sure, it was taunting now, but Brental wondered whether there was an execution in the captured bandit's future, or some other lesser punishment. Or--forbid the thought--something worse. No, worse didn't seem like Kesten's style, nor Brevoy's.
To the offer of a masterwork weapon, Brental considers his arsenal, and the others'. "I would request blades similar to those currently on my mastodon's tusks. As Lina mentioned, we ran into a throng of the undead and his ability to slice through their ranks was quite useful." He pauses and looks at the others. "But if someone else has a preference, Vod and I are well-equipped."
Brental lets Signy and Lina do the report and introduction of Akiros, simply nodding his agreement. Interesting that he hadn't asked after Jhod, whom we had left with in our charge. I'm sure the priest is doing fine on his own though.
As Lina turns to the wedding, Brental begins to consider some of his own spellwork that he might be able to employ in the advancement of a wedding. He can think of a few useful things.
"What of here? Any news at the Post? Or have things been dull without us?"
Kesten arches a brow curiously as Signy takes her shot at him. The man then simply shrugs his shoulders and nods dutifully. "My duties are here at the trading post. I believe I'll leave the adventuring to the more outgoing folk. I've always preferred civilization."
He then allows himself to smile again more subtly this time. "Though if you have some sort of issue with the way I go about my duties I'm sure we could hash things out in a 'private conversation' if you'd perfer." The guardsman offers Signy a sly wink before turning his attention to the others digesting the information given and processing their requests.
"This is most excellent news, I'm certain that Lady Jamandi in Restov will be very happy to hear. I'll dispatch one of my men immediately to inform her and see if any further orders require completion. Pending that, you shall all, undoubtedly recieve your righteous reward for a task well done. If, as you say, this 'Akiros' has aided you in your dethroning of the Stag Lord then he also has my gratitude, Brevoy has been done a great service this day." Kesten resumes his more formal, somewhat grim demeanor as he gets into the fine details of processing your reward.
Akiros grunts in aknowldgement but does not engauge further with the man.
Kesten continues. "Would you happen to have any proof of the Stag's passing on your persons I could send with my messenger? Oh and Mrs. Leveton is preparing lunch as we speak. Oleg has been working on something in secret, preparation for the wedding no doubt, some sort of woodworking I believe, and as for me..." He shrugs, jostling the buckets on his back.
"This is just strength training. I read once about a Tian Xia general who did this while training with his men and singing about defeating their enemies. I think I'll leave the singing to him but the strength training has proven effective especially if you add squats to it."
He then looks pointedly at Brental. "I do believe something has arrived for you. Oleg is handling it. He's working just past the shed I believe."[/b]
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Brental reaches in to the bag of holding and retrieves the marred head of the Stag Lord, no longer covered by his helm. He spills a clutch of silver amulets on the ground as well, signifying the defeated lieutenants. Finally he withdraws the actual helm. The helm is replaced back into the bag after a chance for examination. "Is this sufficient proof?"
Afterwards, Brental excuses himself from the larger group to go find Oleg.
Signy doesn't say anything more to Kesten, content to meet his comment to her with her most impressive resting b~~%@ face.
It's not that she's mean to Kesten because she hates him. Mostly she doesn't think about him. It's that he's good at making her mad, which requires them to be at the same place at the same time.
Of course. If he's carrying water it isn't because he's helping out. It's his own little project for and about him.
Signy dismounts and starts unpacking the horses.
Meneas remains quiet when they return to Oleg's, simply dismounting and beginning to take care of Veil. Plenty of time to talk later. Eventually, he realizes what Kesten's asked. "I think Akiros has the man's head. I've got his helm knocking around somewhere." He shrugs. "I'd prefer to keep it as a warning, but if you need send it to Restov, I can hand it over."
Kesten waves off Brental's offerings. "I thin you've provided me with more than sufficient evidence of the deed to inform Lady Jamandi of its completion."
------
Oleg looks up suddenly from his work behind the shed as the druid approaches him. His eyes go wide as he quickly puts himself between the workbench he was using and the approaching aasimar. "F-Finally back I see! A-HA-HA-HA-HA!" The large man laughs awkwardly ensuring his guest doesn't get a peek around him.
"I hope that means good news then? Lana and I have been really quite busy preparing for the vow renewal so Vlad has actually been handling business on the front end lately but he's been saying there's more travelers coming through every day and I got to be thinking, 'that has to be a good sign right?'" The muscular man chuckles before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a small, sealed letter bearing the crest of the Oakstewards.
"Oh, I nearly forgot. This came in for you the other day, looks rather official."
Brother Brental,
New information has come to light.
We will be seeing you soon.
The right course of action will become apparent then.
May the wind, the leaves, the birds, the waves, and the embers guide you.
Seeing that all’s well with the trading post, as far as she can tell, Lina relaxes and takes her time settling back in for a bit. She’s sure everyone around is busy enough that they don’t necessarily want to be pestered by an elf curious about what they’re up to.
It’s probably early days yet for anything to have come from Uringen, but maybe luck was on her side with the messengers to- and fro-ing when she scribbled off her last letter to one of her contacts there.
Regrettably, pretty much everyone she’d care to have as a plus-one or the like are much too far to have thought to invite even before the adventurers set out against the Stag , but Lina’s used to that, as a roving sort of witch. If she can find them again, maybe Tyg and Peri? Unless humans have something against inviting fairies to a wedding? She’s inclined to think that’s safer than the alternative, but it’s not her party.
And on that note, she has at least one dress to whip up! (Two, if Signy wants one.) As soon as she’s checked up on what’s doing around the trading post, she takes the earliest opportunity to start turning some of the sketches she’s been making in her idle moments of the past evenings into a reality.
Once she gets that started, there’s only one thing more: as she considers whether she can manage a bit of leaf appliqué, she remembers the everbloom seed that they caught Signy trying to plant. The geas seems to have either worn off, gone dormant, or to have been satisfied by the attempt, but Lina’s deathly curious about the plant herself, and what harm could come of trying to start it in a pot where she can keep an eye on it? She invites the Caydenite to do the honours of planting it, just in case.
Meneas keeps to himself as the others prepare for the wedding, mostly disinterested in any preparations. Instead, he takes to studying the maps of the Greenbelt that the party has assembled in their time here.
The Sootscales could prove valuable allies. I'd need to learn some more Draconic to communicate with them. There was also that toad-creature over in the north... but I'm less certain on his reliability. He flexes his fingers. Our fey friends would probably be quite helpful, as well... if only there were roads down here. Just a handful would make travel much more secure, and it would mean I'd be able to focus my efforts along them.
Brental has no interest in prying into Oleg's affairs, nor any over-curiosity about what he may be preparing. He waves off the man's attempts at obfuscation with a smile.
"Yes, it's good news indeed. The Stag Lord and his lieutenants are defeated. Fewer dangers for the more frequent guests!"
Brental also gratefully accepts the letter. Reading it, he at first chuckles at the vagaries before reading deeper into what was being said. There were no direct answers to his questions, but instead more encouragement. And then a bit about the future. He thanks Oleg and puts the letter folded into his cloak.
"Do you need any help, or should I leave you to your preparations and go check on your wife?"
While unloading the horses, stowing the gear, and so forth, Signy overhears the news about Vlad's taking on greater responsibilities at the trading post. When she's done, she goes to find him and give him a huge hug.
"I'm so proud of you Vlad!"
Oleg flushes a little looking back at his pet project over his shoulder, "No umm I..." The large man grumbles. "I think I should be able to handle it, just a little woodworking. Something for Lana for the wedding, but I can handle it. You should go see if you can help her if you can though. She's been running around like crazy trying to get everything prepared for the wedding. Also talk to Vlad if you need to sell or by anything, the lad was a little slow at first but is really catching on." He smiles broadly.
Vlad is taken completely by surprise at Signy's sudden hug. He has to hold onto her to catch himself from falling over due to the sudden force of the hug leading to him giving an awkward hug back. "Miss Signy?! Oh, what about this?" The young man gestures back at the shed which is currently far more stocked than the party has ever seen it, indicating that business really has picked up quiet a bit form the adventurers making the roads and the wilds more easily and safely traversable than they have been in ages.
The ex-bandit smiles at the Ulfen woman, "It was tough at first and Oleg was real strict with me but I think I got the hang of it now. And besides when I do well Miss Leveton rewards me with some beetroot pie that... well, it's just gosh dang delicious if you don't mind me saying." The man's eyes look distant for a moment as if he's lost is a world recalling the taste of the scrumptious pastry.
When he see's Lina passing by he does his best to wave his arms around Signy in an attempt to get the elven woman's attention.
"Wait just a minute there Miss Lina... it was 'Lina" right? There was a woman here askin' for ya not two days back! She seemed real sad you weren't around but asked me to pass on a message for ya. She said she had gotten some sort of a 'special invitation' to join the Academy of Grand Arts in Pitax to study as a bard from some high-falutin actress." The young man nods.
"She was real pretty too so I tried striking up a conversation about how I intended to go there soon for work myself and she, well she made clear real quick I was barkin' up the wrong tree there." He laughs at his own embarrassment and continues. "Anyways she said to direct any and all future letters to the Academy. Her name was ahhh.... Alicia Thana... something I think."
When Vlad mentions going to Pitax, Signy remembers something she'd almost forgotten during the passing time.
"Oh, one more thing Vlad. you know that 'leave or else' thing I said back a while ago? Never mind about that. If you're set on going to Pitax or somewhere else of course you can. But if you'd rather stay around here, you're free to do it."
She grins jokingly.
"The Levinsons might kick my butt if they though I ran you out of town."
Brental nods his head and leaves Oleg to his woodworking. The offer was there, and would remain for several days. Although he was no craftsman, druidic magic was such that it could manipulate wood in myriad useful fashions.
He then rounds back towards the front where Lina and Signy have struck up a conversation with Vlad. There will be ample time to sort through all of the equipment that they have found, but Brental does wait his turn to ask after the magical cloak that he had ordered when he was last here. There was no need to interrupt the conversations, but he was curious about how Vlad was doing.
* * *
After the conversation with Vlad, Brental will lead Vod to the stables for some brush down and relaxation before joining Lana in the kitchen. While in the stables, he checks in on Meneas, who has taken to studying the maps.
"You look pensive. Are you considering what will happen to these lands now that we have completed the mapping? You wanted to stay and protect them, as I recall. That's noble, but a difficult job for one person."
Meneas shrugs slightly at Brental. "Yes. It's not that much different than what I've been doing, of course. There are fewer people here than there are in Brevoy, but they're more spread out. If I could figure out the primary trade routes, it'd be easier to protect them." He sighs. "I alone won't be enough to make it entirely safe, but I might be able to make it safer. To say nothing of how close these lands are to the First World. I may be able to mediate somewhat between fey and mortals."
"It sounds challenging, but worthwhile."
The druid pauses and thinks about the letter he had just received from his superiors. "I may be recalled, but if I am free to choose my own path, then I would return to these lands. We work well together, and I believe in the work we've been doing."
Meneas was right, too, about the fey. These lands were a Thin Place, with ample opportunity for true interplanar diplomacy. Brental recalls the last major First World interaction, where the group had disagreed strongly about how to deal with the mites. Beyond that, the gods were active presences in these lands, from Erastil to Gyronna. Then there was the unsettling encounter with Tartuk. Never mind the mundane, deeply human designs on these lands, from the Swordlords to the Technic League to the other River Kingdoms. And as Meneas kept emphasizing, it would be foolish to believe that a few deaths would actually stop the threat of banditry.
This wasn't over.
When Blad sees Lina passing by he does his best to wave his arms around Signy in an attempt to get the elven woman's attention.
"Wait just a minute there Miss Lina... it was 'Lina" right? There was a woman here askin' for ya not two days back! She seemed real sad you weren't around but asked me to pass on a message for ya. She said she had gotten some sort of a 'special invitation' to join the Academy of Grand Arts in Pitax to study as a bard from some...
Seeing how the trading post is doing, Lina’s impressed by how well Vlad’s doing for himself, and happily saunters over when the young man waves her in and hands over a small package. She’s very excited, and about to settle in to begin to deal with the contents, when Vlad’s words bring her up short.
“Alaïs? Here?! Umm, Thalanassa? Was that the name?” As Oleg and Svetlana’s reforming assistant hesitates over syllables that set her witch’s heart aflutter, Lina tries to pivot from excitement so intense it’s positively mortifying to an attempt at dignity that her blazing blush betrays with what, if a facial expression could speak against the person wearing it, would be a ruthless snicker.
Lina’s attention is immediately diverted to the message, and her gaze drops as she mulls over the news, a wistful smile displacing her embarrassment.
“The Pitax Academy! Oh, good for her! I do hope she likes it, but I’m sure she’ll take it by storm,” she muses. Slumming it a bit, but she does have an adventurous streak, definitely. And Lina is in no position to tut about risky ventures, after a stint in Daggermark. If only… Soon, maybe? Oh, and she must have stopped in Sarain, or she certainly should have…
Returning to herself – mostly – Lina thanks Vlad and moves off to get a closer look at all the rest of her mail. Some seeds that she’ll have to start, along with the everbloom from Signy, but more importantly, a most promising handbook that she’s been thinking about for ages. This copy is bound small in neat black leather, the parchment within crowded with fine Elven script, and she can’t wait to start wrapping her head around the contents. There’s also a pamphlet from her bookseller about scrolls available and other titles of likely interest, and even a cursory glance ensures that she’ll be sending an order by the next messenger going that way.
She can’t wait. No, really. But, despite all the projects she’s balancing, for the next little while, those whose glance lands on Lina might just find her suspiciously unfocused and a bit smile-y.
Meneas looks at Brental, before nodding. There's a smile in his voice as he speaks. "It'd be good to keep working with you, certainly." He chuckles. "I imagine we'll be able to keep things a bit cleaner together than we would be able to apart."
After catching up with Vlad, Signy goes to find Akiros and show him around. First, she takes him to meet Svatelana, introducing him to her in essentially the same way as she had to Kesten. She offers to help Lana out in whatever way she needs, especially in reference to the approaching nuptials.
Signy then takes Akiros around for a tour of the trading post and telling him about other people who they aren't meeting directly. At the end of all that, Signy finds a couple of cups and magics up some ale for both of them. She hands one over to Akiros and gestures toward a place they can sit and relax outside. Once they're settled, Signy brings up the thing that's on her mind.
"I know you were hesitant about coming here. It seems you don't trust yourself to be around people because you're angry. You mentioned a couple of times having an anger inside you, and the way you said it was like it was a thing of it's own, separate and inhabiting you. Now, I don't think you mean to claim you're the victim of a literal possession by another being of some kind."
"I think what you mean is it is something that alway abides in you. You might or might not be angry at a given time, but either way the anger is there. Does that sound right to you?"
"If it does sound right so far, I'd like to ask you where this anger came from. When did it first appear?"
Brental smiles at Meneas' response. He finishes brushing Vod, and then excuses himself to go check with Lana in the kitchen.
On the way, he passes Lina, seeming deep in thought. He had overheard a little, but not too much. He starts light. "I don't know how much you prefer working the soil versus using a bit of magic, but I'm happy to help either way." He then tries to stay surreptitious, as he continues. "Who's Alaïs, by the way?"
Lina eventually gets around to actually picking and filling pots for a few plants, choosing small ones for now in anticipation of the need to transplant eventually. Ideally, she’ll draw up plans for compact but healthy containers that could easily be loaded into her boat or another vehicle, but that will probably have to wait until after Oleg and Svetlana’s do.
Brental smiles at Meneas' response. He finishes brushing Vod, and then excuses himself to go check with Lana in the kitchen.
On the way, he passes Lina, seeming deep in thought. He had overheard a little, but not too much. He starts light. "I don't know how much you prefer working the soil versus using a bit of magic, but I'm happy to help either way." He then tries to stay surreptitious, as he continues. "Who's Alaïs, by the way?"
“Oh, could you?” she asks when Brental approaches. “It’s not really a strength of the schools of magic I’ve dabbled in, so I only really know, vaguely, of the sorts of spells the priests cast at planting, back home. There are hints, of course, of other ways and means, for those of us without so deep-rooted a connection to the land as you enjoy, but they’re almost legendary.”
She grins, appreciating how well the little pots she’s working with now suit her words. And then the sneaky druid’s follow-up question lands.
“We met on a hunt, when her family was in Hymbria, once, and just … hit it off? Especially when we found out we share similar interests in magic, and botany, and- Anyway. At some point we realized our feelings had blossomed into something beyond friendship, and the rest is … still in the works, honestly.”
Really? ‘Blossomed?’ That’s tragic, Lina, she rebukes herself. “She’s in Kyonin, mostly, and I’m not, and she’s –she’s been introduced at court, and I cut roots and brew tinctures in the Shifting Lands. Which is fine! No one’s ever given us any trouble about it! But we can’t pretend it doesn’t make things more complicated, and, as everyone is keen to remind us, we are still very young and finding our places in the world.”
The witch speaks without rancour. She’s also obviously trying, with limited success, not to be too obnoxiously starry-eyed about her sweetheart.
She keeps working, but Brental's question has clearly distracted her again.
Brental would almost say it's cute how flustered Lina gets when he asks his question, but was that an appropriate reaction to someone five times older than him? Of course, elves' longevity was different, but...well, she's blushing and talking quickly! He's seen that look before, and he always called it cute. Especially that presumably unintentional use of blossomed.
"So, she'll be in Pitax, then?" he muses at the end of her spiel. "Well, that's close. Perhaps you can go visit. It's at least closer by far than Hymbria or Daggermark." Or Sevenarches. Brental lets that last recognition stand quiet. No need to inflame tensions with this ally after all they'd been through these last weeks.
Lina happily hums her agreement as she pokes a hole in the soil of the latest pot to drop a seed in. “It should be delightful. Of course, it will be a while. I wouldn’t dream of just dropping everything to go off gallivanting before we hear from Restov about next steps. Tidying a few loose ends, I’m sure, so that no other bandits get the idea that the Stag’s fort or this trading post would be a convenient base of operations.”
“And there are worse places to be an herbalist or apothecary for a while, especially if more people start arriving,” she muses, her glance taking in Kesten’s troops scattered around their posts and doings as she wonders how many more might be coming soon.
She notices Signy talking with Akiros across the open courtyard, and she wonders if the tortured ex-paladin would find any comfort, or perspective, or other benefit from taking care of a plant. It’s not that she doesn’t trust him, exactly, but she would definitely keep him away from some of the fun stuff in her collection, and there’s no way she would trust him with her new seerbloom. Still, it might be worth asking.
Meneas continues his preparations in silence. Did anyone end up telling Kesten about the gold vein? I should ask them not to somewhere where he won't hear. I'm not sure I want to take on the burden of protecting that many miners and would-be fortune seekers yet. A gold rush would end up with even more bandits and thieves than the Stag Lord could ever have dreamt of.
He flexes his fingers, scanning over Brental's maps again. Maybe I could look into getting some allies. An apprentice or two, perhaps? No. Not ready to take on that responsibility yet, and I would likely end up getting them killed.
Akiros welcomes Signy's approach with a small bow. He stands silently and takes in her words until she seems finished then starts slowly, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "Indeed... It is as you say that I fear there is always a rage within me. Ever since that day it exists somewhere deep inside of me and it is my greatest fear that it should be released when I wish to keep it controlled."
He sighs and looks to the sky, a distant look taking his sight as he watches the clouds pass. "The anger first took me years ago, when I was still a paladin of Erastil in Taldor. I was studious and proud of my work, diligent in all things until, one day, I met a woman. She was beautiful and intelligent. And she had a laugh that lifted all the strain of the world from my spirit even after the hardest of days. We spent more and more time together and quickly we fell deeply in love. But there was a problem..."
The ex-paladin looks down and makes solemn eye-contact with Signy as he continues. "As I've told you before, she was married to a rather wealthy merchant making our affair a major violation of my oath as a paladin of Erastil. Their relationship was strained and solely based on appearances and wealth but regardless a marriage is a sacred bond in the eyes of my god so we had to keep our relationship under wraps."
"We were successful in this endeavor for a time... until one day... one damned day... a careless mistake was all it took and my love's husband... well he must have found out what we had been doing because I was quickly confronted at the temple in front of all my peers. And there I was accused..."
The man grips his fist tightly causing it to shake a grimace tightening on his face. "There in front of the clerics and paladins of the temple my Sarah accused me, husband by her side, of forcing myself upon her... I was shocked and couldn't tell what to make of it, it all seemed like a bad dream as my entire world fell to pieces around me I couldn't understand why she would do this. I-I tried to refute her accusation but she shouted away any attempt at an argument she stepped forward called me a rapist... and then when she spat on my face... that's when it happened."
His whole body is trembling now as he divulges his greatest shame. "There was a bright, hot, flash of anger inside of me, the likes of which I had never felt before... and in a moment, unthinking, I struck her... my gauntlets still on she crumpled to the floor unmoving... her husband moved for his sword and I struck him too, I still recall the wet slap of his skull caving under the weight of my assault. The-The other paladins and clerics they were shocked, stunned into inaction as my body told me to run... So I did. I mounted the horse they had rode in on and fled the scene of my crime... never to return."
Akiros' eyes meet with Signy once more, they are a mix of pain, shame, and fear. "So, there you have it. That is my story... after that I roamed the land trying to find a new direction and put this anger to some use... Though I am still searching for that path."
---------------------------
A few days after the adventures arrive at Oleg's trading posting a new visitor arrives.
Dismounting awkwardly from his horse a familiar red-headed young man greats you all cheerfully. "Brental, Signy, Meneas, and Lina! My goodness so good to see you all again! I would, say I hope you're doing well but news has already reached Restov of your great accomplishments here! Congratulations everyone I'm so very proud of you all!" Riftun cheers with tears of joy forming in his deep blue eyes.
"Lady Jamandi is also very pleased, of course. She wanted me to give you all this." At this point Riftun pulls a heavy sack of coin from his horse with great difficulty and drops it on the ground, unable to hold is mass.
"M-My Lady also has another request of you all if you would care for more work... I would prefer to discuss it somewhere private however. I-It's a rather sensitive matter. If you don't mind terribly."
After finding a secluded area of the trading post to discuss further Riftun smiles at the others. "So... This is a grand task but... hopefully won't involve further bloodshed. I-It's also an amazing opportunity a chance to make history even if I might just say so myself."[/b]
The young man reaches into his poach and pulls out an official charter signed by the Lady of Restov herself and well as the Lord-Mayor.
"H-How would you feel about starting your own kingdom here? W-With the aid of Restov of course! With all the political turmoil going on in Brevoy right now... Lady Jamandi has an idea to shore up the defenses of southern Brevoy by taming the Stolen Lands a-and having a strong ally here to dissuade any notion of civil war. She has even sent me to be of any service to you that you see fit! An advisor of sorts I suppose... You wouldn't be a puppet state if that is your concern, Lady Jamandi simply means to foster friendly relations in the hopes of out mutual benefit and the prevention of war. The system of government would be up to you and you would need to fill many government positions yourself but Restov would supply much of the materials you would need to get yourselves started."
Riftun looks around nervously but hopefully. "So... What do you say?"
When Riftun arrives, Meneas folds his hands. "A realm to rule and to guard?" He ponders for a moment. "That would be useful in keeping the peace in the Greenbelt, certainly." The knight hesitates. It would also be an excellent way to mock the Surtovas. Ruling a realm... that would show to them my worth indeed.
He looks back at Riftun. "I am concerned that Lady Jamandi believes there might be some threat of civil war. These lands are not even settled enough to have a small force to aid any side. How does she expect us to serve as a deterrent?" Meneas waves his hand. "You don't have to answer that."
The hood turns to the rest of his companions. "What do you all think?"
Signy remains quiet for a minute, thinking about what Akiros has told her. She's not shocked; she expected a grim story, and knew roughly what the outcome had been before.
"There's a lot in what happened for you to be angry about. There's also a lot to be sad about, for everyone, including you. But with time anger tends to fade. You're carrying some part of what happened as if it occurred only yesterday rather than years ago."
"Can I ask you to think about that part of your anger? Is it anger at the others involved, or one of them? Is it anger at yourself for something you did or thought? Is it anger at the circumstances, perhaps the vow you'd taken or the situation in the town that frustrated your desires? Maybe you're angry at your former god for not protecting you, or asking things of you which were too much to give?"
"You don't have to answer now, or today, it will probably be a hard thing to untangle. But when you're ready, I'd like to continue this conversation. Would you be willing?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Signy is inside, catching up with Svetlana and helping her out when Riftun arrives. When she realizes it's him, she hurries outside.
"Riftun old chum! It's great to see you! How are things in the big city?"
She hugs him and lets him in on her biggest current concern by whispering in his ear.
"Thanks the gods you're here! You simply must stay a few days. There's a wedding coming up and I need you to be my plus one so I don't look completely pathetic. You'd do that for me wouldn't you? Please please!"
While the reward Riftun brings is well received, Signy doesn't say anything right away about founding a kingdom. It's a very sudden and large request from Brevoy, which will take some thought.
Akiros looks stunned, like he's unable to believe that Signy is willing to stand by him and continue to give him a chance after he's told his story. He moves his lips to respond but the words seem to catch in his throat.
After a moment he is able to compose himself and mutter, "Aye... I think that... if we could talk about this more later after I've had some time to think... well, I'd like that."
----------------------------
Riftun is taken by surprise by Signy's sudden hug but the young man happily returns it with a giggle. "Oh the city? It's-" H's cut off by the blonde woman's sudden whisper in his ear which makes the bard go completely beat red and start stammering.
"A plus one?! Y-You mean like a date?! J-J-Just as friends though I trust? Ummm I've never been to a wedding before but I'm a huge fan of all the glamor and romance and... W-Well let's just say I'd be honored to go with you Signy. A-And anything I can do for the spouses-to-be please just let me know I'd love to help out!" The bard smiles.
Later in response to Meneas Riftun explains. "Well, you see, Lady Jamandi doesn't expect a conflict in the near future... this is being seen as a very long term investment on her part. So there wouldn't be any expected military contribution in many, many years. More-or-less this is to ensure that the Surtovas or their allies don't take this area first and end up surrounding Restov in all directions."
He sighs, "Hopefully there will be no war at all but there is a lot of debate going on behind closed doors in the court of Brevoy right now... This is just a deterrent and I think we can all agree that the less chance of war the better for the people caught in between."
In the first few days after the adventurers return to the trading post, there is much more rhyme than reason to Lina’s schedule, with the notable exception of the plants she’s trying to start, which she takes care of precisely as needed. Otherwise, just when in the day she gets up to training, teasing out some spellwork, catching up on her correspondence, working on her sewing, or whatever, varies unpredictably. It’s the sort of thing that would drive Jhod to distraction, and maybe Kesten, if he had the misfortune of being in charge of the witch.
She does make sure to ask Signy if she wants any help with Akiros, when she sees the two have been talking, and offers a green thumb and patient pointy ear, if either of those things could be of use. But she doesn’t want to horn in: after all, Signy would know much better than Lina what this sort of business entails.
***
She’s wrapping her head around some illusion-work with Morof, having already sent off a list of other things she’d like to see (including a perfect volume to direct to the academy in Pitax instead, to celebrate) to her purveyor of scrolls, when Riftun rides in one morning.
The prospect of juicy gossip that calls for a private meeting is absolutely delicious, and Lina is careful to track down some good tea for the occasion. As the young aide begins to explain while the brew is steeping, Lina’s jaw drops in what is, it must be said, a rather unqueenly fashion, but then, she surely can’t have heard properly, can she?
As the others’ questions – spoken or implicit – confirm that she did, actually, Lina jumps to her feet. “Yes! Fantastic!”
She’s clearly going to have to work on the dignity angle. Majesty, and all that. Of course, the important thing is being able to guide a community through its challenges – the funny hats and nice robes are just a very nice perk, really – but there is something to be said for the sort of comportment that inspires confidence. But she’s getting ahead of herself.
“It would be an honour,” she says, slowing down a bit as she starts getting her first thoughts in order. “We’ll have quite a bit to discuss, I’m sure. Not least depending on who else is interested, in terms of the machinations Lady Jamandi is hoping to head off. Of course, all Telvurin was, at one point, effectively a protectorate of the Viridian Crown, but that’s mostly a dead letter.”
With lunatics like Razmir running around, and any number of other petty kingdoms, it would be far too much trouble than it’s worth, and Kyonin has its own problems. But wouldn’t it be something. Not least for the satisfaction of outdoing King Feriel. There is also another factor currently in Pitax that Lina finds very motivating, though making a play for a new realm among the River Kingdoms might not actually resolve much in the way of that situation.
As all of that races silently through Lina’s head, the insinuation of where her words left off is hopefully at least as tactful as it is clear, but she is careful to add, “Whatever we decide, I’d be happy to provide some elven perspective on developments in the region. There are a few of my people towards Mivon, they say, but they’re wild, and I’ve never met them.”
"Great!" Signy re-hugs Riftun then lets him go to answer his question.
"It's sort of a date, but not in the usual way. I can bring someone with me to the wedding, but I'm not from the region and for this or that reason nobody else on hand here really fits the bill."
"I suppose you could think of it as we're sort of allies, helping each other out in a situation. You get to attend a really nice party. I get to not show up alone and look like I have no friends. Did you bring anything nice to wear? It's supposed to be something you dress up for."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
When Lana offers help with Akiros, Signy sighs and admits she doesn't really know what she's doing.
"I'm making it up as I go along. It worries me that a time will come sooner or later when we're not around and he's going to have to manage himself amongst other people. He seems to think he can't, and if that's what he believes, it might as well be true. If I can get him to believe he can, maybe it will save him, and the people around him a lot of grief."
"If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them."
“Oh, well, I don’t really know, but it looks like you have things well in hand,” Lina says diffidently, “But I wouldn’t want to just leave you to it, if there’s anything I can do.”
She considers what Signy’s saying about self-fulfilling prophecies, and offers, “I was thinking that looking after something growing might help get him used to the idea of taking his time, being gentle, and just paying attention and patience into what he’s doing. If he wants, of course. I’ve often found it helpful, myself, but then I’m a nerdy herbalist.”
“Kesten and his Tian general put me in mind of it, honestly. I’ve heard vaguely about some contemplative practices among warriors way out east from some colleagues,” she explains, gesturing vaguely to the eastern origins of the founders of her guild connections in Daggermark. There’s definitely an irony there, and she adds ruefully, “Don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on introducing him to the … more delicate aspects of the craft. Anyway, if he goes for it, we could start with something that’s very forgiving, keep the stakes low, like some berries. It takes a concerted effort to even slow some of those down, let alone kill them. But we could also go bigger, if he’s feeling up to it.”
She stops her rambling there, because, nerdy herbalist that she is, she could just keep going and going. A hardy rose might also work. Symbolism’s a bit heavy-handed, but still. Thorns have their uses.
She’s not much of one for that sort of approach, but she wonders if Akiros, with his previous attachment to a god, might still be half-inclined that way, at least as a way of thinking through things. Reymenda’s black roses might inspire some accountability to oneself, and coming to terms with endings. The childlessness angle is probably less salient, but still. Or maybe Korada’s teachings could provide some comfort? Lina’s never really paid all that much attention to religious matters, especially beyond the bounds of her own people’s pantheon.
Brental is dumbfounded by Riftun's offer on behalf of the Swordlords. Was this what the Oakstewards had alluded to in their letter? Was this the decision that would become apparent? It's possible that they had been aware of this possibility from the beginning, and had positioned him here intentionally. Although he had now trained with them for years, the interior politics of the Oakstewards were still a mystery to him.
So a kingdom, but not necessarily a monarchy. And Brental could--would--be involved. This was an opportunity to balance interests and create something unique. There is a swelling in his chest. Fear? Excitement? Ambition? A bit of all three and so much more that he couldn't put his finger on. The threat of war doesn't even get past his initial barrage of thoughts.
What would it mean to have come of age in one kingdom, undergone his professional training in another, and then be asked to lead a third? Was it a conflict of interest? Or the natural order of things in this Age of Lost Omens?
And was this his chance to live up to his namesake? Could he, along with Lina, help to bridge the tensions between Hymbria and Sevenarches? Could he, with Meneas, forge alliances with the fey? Could he, with Signy, foster an environment of good will and freedom? Could he, with Morof, continue to develop the magical ecology of these lands towards healthy ends? For that matter, what did these lands want, and how could Brental help to cultivate that?
Yes--Brental would listen to the wind and take guidance from the leaves, the birds, the waves, and the embers. It was not what he wanted, but what he could do in concert with these lands and her people.
"I would be honored," he says after almost no hesitation. "And yes, we have much to discuss."
Meneas chuckles darkly. "Never let it be said that I left an opportunity to trouble my dear family untaken." He says. "I suppose if we take this offer, we'll have to learn to rule a land as much as explore and protect it..."
Which would make it all the more important to not mention the gold veins. Turning to the others, he lifts a finger. "Has anyone mentioned the gold mine to anyone else? If we're going to oversee these lands, that will be a priority to keep quiet until we can protect it. Not just because it's valuable to a ruler, but because gold rushes can cause some serious trouble to the people who engage in them, and the locals as well."
He considers. "In other words, it's important to protect the people from it just as much as it is to protect it from bandits and others who would attempt to take it over."
Yes--Brental would listen to the wind and take guidance from the leaves, the birds, the waves, and the embers. It was not what he wanted, but what he could do in concert with these lands and her people.
"I would be honored," he says after almost no hesitation. "And yes, we have much to discuss."
“Maybe I should have been taking notes on how the Sootscales organize themselves after all,” Lina jokes, looking back to her quibble about making sense of kobold politics after the adventurers’ abrupt derailment of the Narlmarch mite-kobold debacle. “I can try to reconstruct how my people do things, as best I can, for reference, but I’m not a law-maker by training, so I might need to send for some sources to fill out the details.”
It doesn’t help that elven law (sic: more orderly societies would raise a collective eyebrow at calling it that) is mostly by edict, intensely local, and with an idiosyncratic attitude to precedent – long-term patterns are perhaps more significant than decisive interventions, at least in the legal theory that Lina knows. Details.
Anyway, the opportunity is astounding, on one hand, but on the other, it does seem to involve a wild wood mostly inhabited by lone weirdos and monsters. On second thought, maybe both those reasons are enough to give anyone pause. Still, after a few moments of things sinking in, and Meneas’ cautious words about development, the witch can’t resist.
Turning to the others, he lifts a finger. "Has anyone mentioned the gold mine to anyone else? ..."
“Fair, and I don’t think we’ve mentioned the mine to anyone. But, I have to ask, so, who wants to be queen?” she sparkles, edging forward on her seat. It’s not so much a slip as a marker of just how much elven lands have been shaped in recent times by influential queens rather than kings, the current ruler of Kyonin prominent among them. Romantic though she may be – she knows the light touch of leadership among her people has counterexamples and then some closer to home across the River Kingdoms more generally – that only encourages her suspicions that maybe the locals really shouldn’t be left to their own devices, and a hint of pragmatism creeps in to her words, “Or whatever. We’ll certainly want to arrange for assemblies and federations to deal with the boring stuff. We have a lot of space to work with: we could even set up some sort of high queendom while we all try our own experiments in one settlement or another, once things really get going. Certainly, we want to keep whatever we’re doing as close to a generous interpretation of the River Freedoms as we can. But I expect with things being what they are, we’re all of us likely to significantly direct what happens here if we stay on for any length of time.”
"Do we want to be associated with the River Kingdoms?" Meneas asks. "I'm not sure that our sponsors in Restov would appreciate it if we seemed more aligned to the south than the north."
After a moment, he nods. "I do think that we should consider who the people - and our political peers - would best accept for our first ruler."
Signy finds herself coming into the conversation with several disadvantages. In ascending order by breadth of scale: Signy isn't a local by any stretch of the imagination, and things keep getting mentioned which she knows nothing, or almost nothing about: Daggermark, and the other River Kingdoms are one of them. The "River Freedoms" is another. She's knows precious little in detail about Brevoy or its politics and divisions.
At the broader more abstract level, Signy is no political theorist. For someone raising in a religious setting, her education is starkly informal and slapdash in many basic subjects.
In the area of politics and law, the weakness is perhaps predictable. Almost all Caydenite thinking on the subject is aimed toward resisting overreach and abuse of power or wealth, and the ease with which those who have the wealth and power can stack such systems to their benefit only. The unstated truth though is that when resistance is the end goal, the existence of systems and structures and people who must be resisted is a given.
The notion of a lack of all such things, a clean slate and a start from nothing, is paralyzing. What should happen? What should exist and how if prevention rather than resistance is the name of the game? There may be Caydenite theologians who wrestle with such questions, and who have produced some answers, but if so none of them have ever been talked about in her presence, and it's not as if her temple/pub/orphanage had much of a library (which she wouldn't have used if there were).
Of course there are reams of political philosophy, mostly produced in Galt and Andoran in recent history, on exactly these questions, but again no library or interest in them on Signy's part.
She decides to make a lowball offer to counter some of the things mentioned so far. She does understand bargaining very well, and her gut tells her 'not much' is the preferred general answer to the question of what shape government should take in the Stolen Lands.
"Well... protection is important if we're surrounded my greedy, predator neighbors. Maybe a pact of mutual defense among all the people living here is a good start. After that, why don't we just ask? I mean really, how many people actually live here? One hundred? Maybe as many as two hundred? It seems to me we should be able to ask what the residents want and figure things out after we know."
"Do we want to be associated with the River Kingdoms?" Meneas asks. "I'm not sure that our sponsors in Restov would appreciate it if we seemed more aligned to the south than the north."
After a moment, he nods. "I do think that we should consider who the people - and our political peers - would best accept for our first ruler."
“We are basically on the Shrike, and that flows into the East Sellen, and that…” Lina suggests, spinning out an itinerary almost instinctively that shows how connected all the rivers are. “Barring the other groups that got charters – which, apart from what happened to Morof’s, I wonder how they’re doing –”
Her eyes flicker towards Riftun, before she continues, “– our next nearest neighbours are Pitax, Uringen, and Mivon, mostly, and if the powers that be are content to cut us loose and hope that we’ll be a buffer against ambitions from New Stetven, well, I think that tells us where they see us. Oh, and we could get a seat on the Outlaw Council, which would let us forge some alliances that could only help stabilize the Kingdoms and all the Shifting Lands further, towards a healthy peace!”
The witch sounds far too tickled about the whole business.
She decides to make a lowball offer to counter some of the things mentioned so far. She does understand bargaining very well, and her gut tells her 'not much' is the preferred general answer to the question of what shape government should take in the Stolen Lands.
"Well... protection is important if we're surrounded my greedy, predator neighbors. Maybe a pact of mutual defense among all the people living here is a good start. After that, why don't we just ask? I mean really, how many people actually live here? One hundred? Maybe as many as two hundred? It seems to me we should be able to ask what the residents want and figure things out after we know."
She considers Signy’s suggestion carefully. “M-hm. I certainly wasn’t thinking of imitating Liberthane, Touvette, or the Protectorate of the Black Marquis or anything. But a figurehead would provide some continuity, and the Council might take us more seriously. We can start small, and hopefully convince others to throw their lot in with us, or work around them. I’m mostly worried about the forest, really, and not letting a brute like the Stag stomp all over it and anyone who wants to live and let live, and any old, old traces of my people. Say what you will about some arboreals , their strategy is often impressive.”
"The spread of the ideology of the Five Freedoms might be deemed a threat by our northern neighbors, is all I was thinking." Meneas sighs. "Not to mention I don't trust them fully myself." He shrugs. "It's the sort of thing that bandits can take advantage of."
He half-turns to Signy. "We haven't really met, well, anyone who wasn't hostile in the Greenbelt. it's not like there's a settlement where we can find them all. They're almost certainly scattered across the area. Now, I don't think we should disregard them, but they aren't many, and finding them all to get a consensus is... impractical at this time."
"We should try to get word out to them in time... and the fey. Greeting the neighbors, after all, is only courteous." The knight considers for a moment. "Ah, and the Sootscales." He takes a breath. "Besides, it will be at least a few months before we'll be able to make any claims of actually controlling the whole Greenbelt. We can find them as we go, I'd say."
"I have left the gold mine off of most of the maps except my personal copy, and even there I was coded," Brental reveals.
Regarding associations, Brental muses. "Whether or not we intentionally seek association with the other River Kingdoms, it seems inevitable that others will associate us with our neighbors. As Lina says, if we play our cards right, we may eventually warrant an invitation to sit at the Outlaw Council."
Signy raises a strong idea of limited mutual protection, and the druid nods. "We have been trying to befriend as many people as possible while exploring these lands. Not everyone was open to diplomatic relations, but given their general outlooks I sincerely doubt that they would be keen to anyone, including us, rolling in and saying 'Hello, some diplomat 100 miles away says that we're in charge now. Swear fealty.'"
Brental picks up on Lina's veiled references, but lets them pass by for now. That was another issue to deal with eventually.
Still, a figurehead of some sort would likely be useful, which returns to Meneas' point. The scant humans living here, the fey, the Sootscales, and even the boggard, never mind all of their neighbors--who would be accepted as a representative of the common will?
"We're a motley crew. A bastard of the reigning family of Brevoy, an witch with associations of Hymbria, a druid with connections to Sevenarches, a Taldan woman with no deep history in the region, and a Brevic herbalist. Greeting the neighbors seems like a good first step to figuring out who they would accept."
Meneas shakes his head. "I do not wish to associate with the Outlaw Council, if we can avoid it." He says firmly. "Certainly not as a member." He folds his arms. "I will take no part in a realm that does so."
He sighs, uncrossing his arms. "We'll have to prove that we're capable of protecting the people if we want their fealty. That is, after all, the point of fealty. Rulers are supposed to protect in exchange for service."
"That's understandable," Brental says to the veto of a seat at the Council. He runs through the Tiver Freedoms in his mind. It was general guidance in Sevenarches, but the druids, fey, and arboreals had their own laws separate, and sometimes counter to the Freedoms.
"As for protection, we have a fairly effective track record. We can continue, too. People may not know everything we have done." He looks at Riftun. "A Herald to tell our stories could help to lay the path."
"Oh Brental, you need a better understanding of the power of stories. Am I a Taldan woman with no deep history in the region, or am I a lost noblewoman of Brevoy who grew up in exile? Both are equally true. More or less I think."
"Also, what's the Outlaw Council?"
Brental smiles at Signy's idea. "You're right. We are all of us--most of us, at least--relative unknowns in this region. Stories should have some basis in truth, given the power of divination magic to pull out truth, but I take your point."
He turns his attention to the Outlaw Council next. "The Outlaw Council may be a poor name for it, but it is what it is. Every year, the different leaders of kingdoms in the region gather in Daggermark to talk. They may have associations at other times of the year, but it's the most formal meeting. Daggermark, Gralton, Lambreth, Mivon, Pitax, the Protectorate of the Black Marquis, Sevenarches, Tymon, and Uringen have the weightiest voices."
Brental pauses. "What is the truth of the lost, exiled Brevic noblewoman, by the way?"
Lina’s mind is buzzing with things to … work on, for lack of a better word, as she tries to sort through the subtext of everyone’s concerns and unspoken agendas.
The Outlaw Council being off the table is fine, for now: it will be a while before anything the adventurers get started is likely to get taken seriously anyway. She does wonder if Meneas would be amenable to sending an observer, at least, sooner rather than later. Since proxies aren’t allowed, hopefully that wouldn’t suggest too much sympathy for the (dis)organization, as opposed to a pragmatic eye on what the other River Kingdoms are up to.
She chimes in after Brental to add, “The Council is the closest thing to a pact for mutual defense and issues that affect all the River Kingdoms. They ratified the Freedoms, which, fortunately, offer room for interpretation by design.”
“‘Courts are for kings,’” she quotes easily, “and if that means that certain parties can technically get away with a piracy and protection racket despite the right to freedom of movement, I’m sure we can set a stronger baseline for innocents’ protection within our domains.”
The puzzle of satisfying both Meneas’ stricter sense of order and Signy’s free spirit is challenging but somewhat appealing, and maybe interpreting the Freedoms is a way forward.
She does wonder now about the Brevic connections Signy’s just raised. For her own part, she supposes Hymbrian witch can do a lot of work: if it’s not exactly glamorous, it’s unthreatening, and it mostly sidesteps the question of ridiculously long elven institutional memory while still offering a hint to those paying attention.
In the meantime, she voices some realpolitik, slightly prettied up in an attempt to be disarming.
"We have been trying to befriend as many people as possible while exploring these lands. Not everyone was open to diplomatic relations, but given their general outlooks I sincerely doubt that they would be keen to anyone, including us, rolling in and saying 'Hello, some diplomat 100 miles away says that we're in charge now. Swear fealty.'"
“True, that. Maybe announcing the foundation of a city would be a good start. Come from a position of strength rather than pleading for their attention. More, ‘Hi, we’re from Roseburgh (or whatever), and we’re building something that we think is pretty awesome, let’s see if we can work something out to our mutual satisfaction,’ you know?”
"We should be our own entity. We can take inspiration from the lands around us, but we must look at our own circumstances first and foremost. Take, for instance, the presence of the First World in these lands. If there is conflict between fey and mortal, I will be predisposed to protect the fey. This means we should consider how to deal with the fey more than other lands around us. We have the nominal patronage of Restov, and may well border other newborn realms as well. Let's find our own way, rather than simply aping those of the south or north."
The knight looks from one of his companions to the next. "Accepting the River Freedoms would be tantamount to saying we want to make a culture akin to that of the River Kingdoms. I do not want that. Proclaiming a new noble house and engaging in dynastic intrigue would say that we wish to promote a similar culture to Brevoy's. I don't think any of us truly want that, either. Let us find our own way. It needn't even be a 'middle ground' between the two. Our path is our own. This is a chance to make things better than our neighbors."
He takes a deep breath, before chuckling. "Sorry. I got impassioned there."
Riftun exhales as Signy explains her intentions and becomes considerably less red-in-the-face. "Oh, good, that takes off a lot of the pressure... n-not that- Well, anyways, I'd be happy to be your plus one Signy. I-I do have some outfits that might work. I-I came here with my whole life pretty much packed into a bag of holding like the one I gave all of you, since I'm expected to be here for at least a few years it seems." The bard chirps seemingly caught up in the idea of attending his very first wedding.
------------------------
In response to Lina's line of inquiry Riftun nods sagely, "Yes well, it seems one other group has managed to complete their charter and has already begun establishing a kingdom of their own to the east. They're calling it 'Varnhold' o-or so I seem to recall. Anyways, they seem amicable enough that I would say establishing relations may be a good idea."
He then smiles at Brental and nods eagerly causing his single beaded braid to bob and sway. "I would LOVE to tell your story. I have a penchant for storytelling you know a-and stories do have a certain power to them." The young man hums. "Oh, but I'm trained as an aide and have a lot of knowledge of architecture so I-I'd likely be of use for your infrastructure planning a-and to do my best to present you all with any side of a dilemma forming within your lands to help you make the best decision. But for starters..."
"What shall we call your new kingdom?"