Sitrep:

> You are currently at House Daudu's manor, welcoming and entertaining three important foreign guests: Gurunir and Saragites of Theniron, and Merinites of Subaran.

Oh, also, back in Margade, today is when the Chariot Races are being held. Aren't you sad you're not there amid the noise and the hubbub?

No, not really you aren't.

If you'd really like to bring your guests back just in the nick of time, you will have about three days here. Strangely, you thought Gurunir was going to attend the men's ceremony on the Third of Fifth, but it turns out he isn't...

Your brother Imian, however, is. It's up to you if you want to go back and see him. Technically you should, but...

rolled 7 = 7

>>19693659

Open eyes, grab orchid, kiss properly.

Also, rolling.

rolled 18 = 18

>>19693659
Morning Orchid, let's get breakfast and see if there's any sign of our guests stirring.

File: 1341134045564.jpg-(49 KB, 720x480, 2-5.jpg)

rolled 30 = 30

Nobleman quest? Ayepyepyepyep!

Scowl at her before jokingly saying "And to think I believed I might have a chance to sleep in this morning."

>>19693696

Orchid is still looking at your face, smiling. You wait until she raises her hand again, this time touching your nose gingerly, and then your eyes open and she starts.

Before she can react, you put your arm around her head and pull her in. Her lips are warm, and her eyes wide open. She takes a deep breath after you let go.

'M-morning, sir...'

'Morning.' You sit up, and she quickly gets to her feet, blushing like a ripe apple. 'Shall we have breakfast?'

Orchid quickly bows and runs backwards out of the room. Just a few moments later, Amaryllis comes in. 'Sir, Viscountess Merinites is waiting outside in the dining hall. She says she'd like to share breakfast after sharing dinner with you, sir.'

Well... you could say no to that, but... hmm.

> What do/say?

>>19693719

> Don't believe I've seen you before - welcome!

You also wonder if you ought to be receiving messengers from court. You did ask Peony to tell you if anything weird happened during the chariot races.

Well, let's hope nothing comes from Raumar then. Who knows what news it might be...? Sadereg is standing guard at your chamber entrance, and Daneg is also waiting for you now.

>>19693733

Huh. Well, let's go have breakfast with her then.
I thought we were going to see sagrites this morning?

>>19693746

Yes I haven't posted in this quest before, but I've been reading through the archives with much interest and enjoyment!

>>19693761

You were, indeed... Merinites was meant to go fishing with you in the afternoon. But since she's already here...

Heading out, you see Meri seated at a table to the left of the main seat, which is rightfully yours. The look on her face makes it clear that this is a deliberate transgression; the best seat a woman not related to you by marriage or blood can take is on your right, not your left. Her two attendants, including the grey-eyed dancer, are there.

Meri stands up, calmly. 'I beg your pardon, your lordship. I only just remembered the proper rite of the Imperial people...'

You can't remember, come think of it, if the Easterners have this rite as well.

> What do/say?

>>19693791

Both ladies and their entourage seem to have been pretty well versed in Imperial custom, so a mistake is obviously not the case here. What does this mean? Would that suggest an unspoken challenge, or does it indicate a declaration of interest?

In either case, we can only accept her excuse and ignore it, bringing attention to the 'mistake' would be improper. Our expression should indicate that we knew very well it was deliberate though.

>>19693834

You frown, ever so slightly, before smiling in a knowing way. She sees everything, looking directly at you. You also notice that her dress today is similar to the dancing outfit she wore yesterday, a close-fitting yet comfortable-looking garment.

'So... I was not expecting a guest for breakfast,' you say, sitting down to your fish porridge and assorted pickles and stewed meats. 'It's a pleasant surprise.'

'I heard that the Countess of Theniron was coming to see you in the morning.' Meri smiles as you frown momentarily. 'I just thought I'd forestall her, and we can then go fishing. Would this be fine with you?'

> What do/say?

>>19693878

Say yes, that would be nice.

Ask her about her family.

>>19693904

We need to be careful here. She's clearly trying to exclude Saragites. My vote is we should agree to a quick meal together, but we are a man of our word and we have to honour our promise to meet with Saragites.
I just can't think of a delicate enough way to say so.

>>19693934

Hmm... maybe just agree to the breakfast, then?
I'm just rather interested in merinites, and I don't think we should always seem so eager to lean to saragites' side.

>>19693956

I don't disagree, Saragites actually scares me a little. But playing favourites so early in the game, especially with two representatives from a tense diplomatic situation, is not going to do us favours in the long run.


I also want to meet the brother before we make any decisions at all.

>>19693956
>>19693934
>>19693904

> Doesn't seem like a particularly good time today, does it...

You evade that question of hers with a question about her family, and Meri smiles. It occurs to you that Saragites is of course sharp and intelligent, but that your initial assessment of Meri as being rather blunt and direct may well be mistaken.

'My family, Adrian? Well, let's see... my father was the second son of his father, and not particularly favoured. So once he grew to be of age, he was packed away to live in one of the towns under Subaran, as a governor. I guess, from him, I've learned quite a few things about running a town.

'Still, you know, I guess it's not ours to be on the throne of the duchy. Unlike some others.' She doesn't sound very bitter saying that, though. 'I just heard that your lordship, however, is not particularly into the rich and powerful, so I was wondering.'

> What do/say?

>>19693878

i'm leaning on this

>>19693934

Merinites seems to be trying to monopolise our time and attention.

>>19693984
>your lordship

Is she talking to us or about your liege?

>>19693990

How's that, though?

Also... man, I don't know. Ask more about the duchy of subaran. I don't like supporting the stronger party in a fight; they don't need the support and are more likely to turn on us after winning. That's my main concern about saragites.

>>19694002

Your lordship is always addressed to you. Your father is 'your highness', being a prince.

>>19693984

maybe ask her what it is she is wondering about.

>>19693978
>>19693956
Be careful guys, just because Meri is being more friendly with us now does not mean that she will always be like this, you must also keep in mind that when looking for a wife interpersonal relationships take a back seat to more material and political concerns, and Sara has a lot more to offer in that area.

>>19694006
Yes and this is really worrying. She was almost blatantly asking that we support them in an armed conflict. It could be that they intend to go to war anyway, and there is only the pretence of diplomacy now.

>>19694017
Bloody hell, that's certainly more than a little direct. I don't have a clue as to how to respond to this.

>>19694025
>>19694006

'Wondering? What are you wondering?'

'Oh... whether closer relations may be pursued, I suppose? Between our homelands?' She gives you a charming smile.

You ask about the Duchy of Subaran, and she sighs. 'They say that if the trunk of a tree is cut, it may yet grow again; but if the roots of a tree are broken, then the greatest tree withers. Now, Subaran's roots are unbroken and strong. A large part of this, no doubt, is due to the trade between us and your home city. But the trunk... I'm not so sure about that.'

'You refer... to the duke, then?'

'Oh, I wouldn't dare,' but her smile makes it clear that she is. 'But it is not a permanent problem. The people of Subaran have not lost their spirit, nor their willingness and ability to work and fight. In the seven years he has been governor of Morhangi, my father has fought off many raids by the river people, and the population has doubled. Prosperity and pre-eminence can yet return to us.'

Also, just as you are speaking, you look up and see Orchid walking in... with Leucanthemum, Saragites' servant who played chess with you last night. There's too many cute girls in this place...

'Your lordship,' Leuc bows. 'My lady is now awaiting you at the front gate.'

Meri doesn't say anything. She just sits straight, and looks neutrally at the table before her.

> What do/say?

Here's an idea, why don't we try to solidify closer relations between Subaran and Theniron? It might sound mad, but if we aim to create a tri-state alliance, all three could come out ahead.

And from there, maybe forge the three states into a single new kingdom.

Bold? Perhaps.

>>19694038

To clarify, it seems that what she means - if you got that right - is that your recent behaviour has shown that you don't mind standing up to the rich and powerful, or at least to the stronger side in an argument.

For example, you pursued a magistrate of House Ahun to protect a lowly local magistrate; and you stood on the side of the Immigrants in the Convocation disputes. So Meri must have known these things (she's known frighteningly soon though, if that's true) and figured something about you...

>>19694046

Smile and excuse ourselves as politely as possible.
"I fear prior engagements call me away, it would not be seemly to renege on an earlier promise. I hope to enjoy the pleasure of your company again this evening, as I have also promised."

>>19694054
Ah okay, I took that as something else entirely.

>>19694060
>>19694053

That is an idea you could pursue, actually, if you wish.

Meri simply smiles, slightly disappointedly, and nods. 'I am sorry, your lordship. It appears I have been too blunt.'

Then, heading out, you see Saragites - and see that she's leading a horse, the same horse you gave her brother just last evening.

'Adrian!' She says. 'Hmm. I see you've managed to free yourself from that woman. Sticky, isn't she just?'

> What do/say?

>>19694046

to me she seems to has the desire to cut away the bad parts of the trunk so that it can be rebuild and that the people of Morhangi are willing and able to do this with a little outside help.

>>19693659
>Korean Dynasty Picture
>Chink tripname
>Chink game
the fuck is goin on here

>>19694102
FANTASY ASIA!

>>19694091
"You enjoy riding Sara? A fine animal, wouldn't you say?"

Avoid being drawn into a conversation about Meri.

>>19694091
>>19694118

for now it is best to avoid talking about Meri.

was it ever explained why they can barely stand one another?

>>19694125
I think it's mostly to do with Adrian both being their objective.

They forget, we can have multiple wives.

Can we have multiple wives?

>>19694118

She laughs. 'Well, I was just going to lead this to Gurunir. He wants to take it out for a ride.'

That... is also rather transgressive, to be honest. It is not seemly to inspect another person's gift, especially not in their presence.

You don't want to talk to Sara about Meri, so you just walk with her for a while instead. She starts humming a soft tune... she appears to be waiting for you to talk. You're being awful quiet today...

> What do/say?

>>19694102
>>19694110

As far as I can tell, they are wearing Ming Dynasty official uniforms, along with the Ming Dynasty wushamao that has two silk flaps. Wrong dynasty, yes, but not the wrong country...

Of course, the Choson Dynasty also adopted Ming dress for the most part, so you may be right. How do you know this is Korean, though?

>>19694053
It's ambitious, daring. Possibly even insane. And I like it!

>>19694118
If >19694053 is to stand a chance we need to address this problem and concilliate the two.

>>19694091
"The two of you are far too harsh on each other. Not everything between Theniron and Subaran need be a competition."

>>19694139
Ask her about her brother. Let's try and get a read on this guy.

>>19694130
>>19694125

Well, firstly, their states aren't friendly with each other; as such their presence here is inherently competitive - they both want prestige, and maybe they both want you as well. (ah, the honour!)

At the same time, you figure that their characters also clash. Meri, even when she's doing things like joining you for breakfast this morning, seems quite quiet and refined; Sara on the other hand is a high-spirited woman.

Sadly you cannot have multiple wives. You can have multiple consorts, but consort children do not have the same inheritance rights. So neither of them is ever going to agree to be your consort - they'd much rather be someone else's wife. Also, you just try proposing to take a viscountess or countess as a concubine, and let's see how the duchies react to that...

>>19694139
>MBC
korean broadcasting station
>Familiar shooting set
watched korean historical dramas -- and its mainly about being butthurt of japan and foreign devils. it's pretty amusing.

>>19694160

Ohh. I stand corrected, then.

And well, if Brits are allowed to loathe and fear the French and Germans, then I don't see why Koreans aren't allowed to loathe and fear the Japanese. (The French and Germans haven't even invaded Britain before, much less occupy them for half a century!)

>>19694149
>>19694141

You continue walking for a bit more, until Sara cannot take the silence any longer and turns to you. 'So, Adrian - how do you find that woman?'

'Oh please, Saragites. Not everything Theniron and Subaran do must be construed as rivalry, surely?'

'It's easy to say that if you're from neither Theniron nor Subaran,' she says. 'I'd sure like to see the mutual gifting ceremonies between Iru and Kaso, however.'

Ouch. Countess burn. Those ceremonies always end up being filled with bitter, private recriminations on your side - and, you are sure, on Kaso's side as well. They don't think you're fit to be a kingdom, and you think they can go stuff their kingdom right where it bloody well belongs.

'So... how is your brother? I hope the rigours of the journey haven't taken too much a toll on him? This is a feisty horse.'

'I assure you, sir, my brother has undertaken many journeys worse than this. He will be fine - well, he *is* fine. He thanks you for the horse, and says it will be a fine thing to ride at an army inspection.'

> What do/say/ask? Be more specific about the brother if you want to know anything in particular.

>>19694154
When our new kingdom is forged, we will make it state policy for the new king (us) to take both a Theniron and Subaran wife.

Or not, but we can dream!

>>19694139
>>19694154

how come she is inspecting the gift horse?

>>19694187
> The French haven't even invaded before

King Guillaume the Conqueror would like a word with you. Likewise the French King ( a Louis I think) who fought John Lackland for the crown.

>>19694187
You had some interesting things to say the other night. It is always a pleasure to talk to an interesting woman. What if I told you some interesting things as well?

Make allusions, bare hints, about this 'new kingdom' plan and gauge her reaction. Nothing specific, just stuff about old traditions needing to be swept aside for new ones, and likewise old institutions.

>>19694199

Well, if one can count an invasion from 950 years back, I think one is within one's rights to be bitter about two invasions over the last 420 years.

(John of England lost his lands in France. Boo bloody hoo!)

>>19694188

On second thought, that just means allowing more sons to slaughter each other over the throne - and a convenient fault line to split them with...

Need to think a third time, it seems.

>>19694195

She's not, her brother is.

> What do/say/ask? You can't just walk silently with her - she's still a woman and would prefer you speak first. Unless you just want to keep waiting until she talks?

>>19694187
We should have a laid-back manner, anything else is either going to send the wrong message or otherwise irk her.
"Tell me more about your brother? Do the two of you get along or would I have to be from Theniron or Suburan to understand that as well?"

>>19694199
France invaded Britain? I don't think the occassional troops to help the Irish counts.

>>19694220
> On second thought, that just means allowing more sons to slaughter each other over the throne - and a convenient fault line to split them with...

I don't see the problem. All change is writ in blood. Our brothers aren't our friends, if they make themselves our enemies they will be treated as such. The same goes for anyone that stands in our way.

>>19694220
Make some small talk, ask her if there is anything that she is particularly looking forward to seeing in Margade, make a few witty comments that show off our knowledge of philosophy and poetry.

>>19694214
>>19694228

You try to gauge her reaction, talking about how old things should be swept away and new institutions created, that split realms always unite after a while - and were the people of Theniron and Subaran not created from the same root, and that same root give rise to Iru as well?

Sara merely laughs, softly. 'Adrian, you are confusing me. I'm not really sure what you're talking about...'

You wonder if you should elaborate when Sara starts humming another tune. You listen to it for a bit, and then it strikes you that it's a well-known Vasawa song, and you know the lyrics.

'The oak is great, but its seeds are small.
Its seeds are small that they travel far.
Across rivers and over hills, they find beloved loam,
And, settling themselves, make mighty trees anew.
Hail the tree arisen from a thumb sized fruit!
Its roots grow strong, and we defend it unto death.'

Is... is that a warning? Forcing yourself to relax, you ask her about her brother.

Sara laughs loudly, stroking the horse's mane as you reach Gurunir's rooms. 'Well, I suppose it is no secret, but Guruniki is my favourite brother. He is a man of wit and might - which is a lovely combination, of course, in a noble man.'

> What do/say/ask?

>>19694282

"A lovely combination in a friend, but a dreaded one in a foe or rival."

>>19694282
"A man worth knowing. Very similar to his sister in that respect."

>>19694312
>>19694299

'Why, thank you,' Sara says. 'And I guess you better try to keep on his good side, then.'

You enter the compound to the sounds of grunting and yelling, and the distinctive sound of a swishing sword. 'Guruniki! Abrat!'

In the courtyard, Gurunir yells a reply, but he is still going through his swordplay motions. You have to say, as someone who's trained with the sword too, that he is pretty good at it - fast, decisive movements and a certain sense of awareness and power. When you step in, he swivels towards you, sword raised.

'Hoy, siestr- oh!' He quickly lowers the sword and switches to Imperial. 'I apologise for that.'

You notice, to your surprise, that his sword is also a Sumaskete. It's a good thing you brought yours along...

> What do/say? Sara is leading the horse in right now, and Gurunir confirms that it's a very very fine horse indeed.

>>19694322
"A quick match, sir? It has been dreadfully long since I last had a skilled opponent."

>>19694333
This, I suppose.

But first dally a little on the subject of horsemanship, then mention admiration for his technique. Basically don't dive straight into a challenge/friendly-bout without a good bit of conversation beforehand.

>>19694348

Oh and reply in his native language. In this at least our diplomatic skills can shine.

>>19694333
>>19694348
>>19694355

You wave it off, and then engage him in a conversation about horsemanship and swordplay. As you talk, he rattles off a list of some of the famous swordsmen who have taught him before - including a few you know, even.

'So they travelled to teach you?'

'Some do, yes. Others have come to offer their services to us, and have since become resident.' Theniron is certainly actively growing its power...

He enjoys horsemanship and hunting, though instead of bow and arrow he prefers to ride with a boar lance and fight beasts hand-to-hand. 'Certainly nothing beats the excitement of that,' he says, his eyes glinting.

'You will not mind, then, if I challenge you to a friendly bout?' You take out your sword and his eyes widen slightly.

> Fight with wooden swords, or use the real thing?
> Also, roll d100 for insights into his swordsmanship. How serious are you about beating him, is this a friendly match or a real competition?

rolled 67 = 67

>>19694379
Friendly match with live steel.

"Only a real edge keeps the skills sharp. Or so my instructors taught me."

What does a sumeskete sword look like?

rolled 58 = 58

>>19694379

Wooden swords, the last thing we need is to wound or maim someone in a diplomatic mission. This should also be a friendly match. Try to beat him, we want to impress Saragites, but it's not really important so long as we make a good match of it.

Rolling for insights.

>>19694388

Sumaskete is the name of a famous smith, not a type of sword. The swords are your normal Imperial swords (basically slightly broader versions of the Chinese jian). What distinguishes them is the orchid and plum emblems of the makers.

As for insight, you can tell from his footwork and strokes that he seems to favour strong, straight attacking moves - fierce thrusts, darting jabs and the like.

> So, wooden sword or live edge?
> Also, so what style of swordplay do you want to fight in? You've mostly trained in a more defensive style, but you can be aggressive if you want.
> Whichever your decisions, roll d20.

rolled 13 = 13

>>19694413
live steel
let's go for a balanced style, but give as good as we take

>>19694413
He strikes me as the kind of guy that would respect us more if we went for live steel.

rolled 71 = 71

>>19694413

Wooden, again we really don't need any sort of injury here on either of us.
I vote for defensive, cater to his forward aggressive stance until he gets tired or overconfident, then counterattack viciously.

rolled 18 = 18

>>19694436
Oops, rolling d20

>>19694423

Was that a d20 roll? No noko here, please.

Both of you agree on using real swords - namely, your real and very very sharp Sumaskete swords - and you turn to see Saragites, her eyes glowing with delight as both of you draw your swords.

Gurunir moves the moment you declare the duel to start; he is very fast in his attacks, but not so much in his recovery. You parry two thrusts, and sweep around to force him back out into a safer distance...

> Roll d20.

rolled 2 = 2

>>19694442

Rolling. Let's go with defensive, and wait for him to tire out.

>>19694442
Maybe use this one? Hehe... >>19694441

rolled 19 = 19

>>19694442
He might be trying for a feint, trying to lure us into a bolder attack.

>>19694458
>>19694441

> 18 vs. 7: nice stuff!

Almost right off the bat, your defensiveness catches him off guard; it seems that, with a lady watching, he had guessed you'd go on the attack more fiercely.

Certainly Gurunir's having at you, grunting as he extends himself - a little too far - after just a few strokes. It's a fast attack and the blade hovers towards your face, but you sidestep it and sweep it away, knocking him off position. Still, his footwork is very fast!

> Roll d100!

rolled 15 = 15

>>19694473
If we do hit him try to avoid a seriously damaging blow, I can't think of a single thing that would be worse for negotiations than stabbing him in the gut.

rolled 59 = 59

>>19694473
Disarm and grapple him to the ground. European style!

rolled 83 = 83

>>19694473

Wait for the opening, then strike!

rolled 25 = 25

Rollin

>>19694493

> 83 vs. 65 + 10: almost good enough!

You have never been one for a very aggressive style of swordplay, and you know your attack is relatively slow compared to Gurunir's. Still, you sweep your blade down, aiming to strike him with the flat of your blade.

To your amazement, Gurunir still manages to pull out from the arc of your blade, before pushing it aside with his own sword flat and pointing the sword at you.

'Nice, using the sword flat. They say you are an honourable man.'

'Also a man who cares about his very valuable sword,' you reply.

Gurunir grins, and then he is on the move again.

> Roll d20!

rolled 10 = 10

>>19694509

Okay, we should try to tire him out. Keep on the defensive, but bait him enough that he exerts himself.

rolled 11 = 11

>>19694509
We just set a pattern of being defensive and trying to anticipate and gain a small advantage from a small mistake.

Break that pattern, make an aggressive move, don't let him predict us. Also Saragites seems to like watching us fight, we may as well make it interesting.

Feint the defensive move that he expects and then attack.

rolled 13 = 13

>>19694509
Try to disarm him, while on the defensive.

rolled 19 = 19

>>19694509
rollin again

>>19694545
nicely done

>>19694534
>>19694533
>>19694517

> 13 vs. 15!

You have to marvel at Gurunir's energy. While you are moving back and forth around a rather small circle, practicing the restraint that is the hallmark of your sword style, Gurunir darts about, looking for your weaknesses from every angle. It's energetic, it's highly interesting, and as you figured it tires him out after a bit.

Sensing your chance, you parry another three fast strikes, and then step out of the arc of a vertical strike and swing inwards at him. He retreats, but this time he isn't fast enough to dodge completely and uses his sword to catch yours; then, with a turning of his feet, he shoves upwards against you, locking you into a push.

As you grunt and resist him, you hear Saragites going 'Go, brother! Go!' in Vasawa. Gurunir smiles at you, and presses in harder still.

> What do? Roll d100!

rolled 1 = 1

>>19694552

I don't think we're as strong as he is. Sidestep, then try to trip him as his momentum carries him forward.

If that doesn't work, begin attacking him ceaselessly. He's tired an now is our chance.

rolled 23 = 23

>>19694552
Step on his foot for pain and distraction, side step and try to pull him off balance and knock him to the ground.

>>19694566
Well fuck

>>19694545

Do you want to convert this roll into a 95?

rolled 26 = 26

>>19694552
Not today!

>>19694571

YES PLEASE.

rolled 17 = 17

>>19694571
YES! YES! I rolled that so YES!

>>19694571
Yes, I would rather not end up with at the very least us embarrassing ourself and at the worst getting a sword in our gut.

rolled 88 = 88

>>19694571
Yes!

>>19694578
Also disregard that roll, I forgot to clear my e-mail field.

>>19694571

> Anyone here plays Homeless Psych as well? You know how critical successes work there...?
> 95 vs. 10+5 = CRITICAL SUCCESS

You grin back at him, and then raise your foot in a feint - it would have been far too dishonourable, though of course acceptable in battle, to stomp on his foot. Gurunir, who was probably taught that it was acceptable, quickly flinches, and that is when you break the lock, pushing his sword right out of position, before attacking...

'Brother!' You hear Sara's cry of horror, and hear her running down the steps as you inspect your blade. Blood drips off the tip of your sword, and then you turn to Gurunir, lying on his back on the ground. 'Brother! Oh, by the gods!'

'I'm fine! I'm fine!' Gurunir sits up, looking slightly embarrassed. You have managed to carve a gash in his left arm, about a finger's length; but it's a flesh wound, normal for a live sword fight. He's rather more hurt by the fact that he tripped over his own feet and toppled over backwards, is all. Still, Sara continues to fawn over her brother.

'How could you strike out at him while he was falling! That's dishonourable!'

'Oh please, Sara, it's not like he could have reacted in time... that's a good solid strike, Adrian. You win.'

> What do/say?

>>19694602
You are one of the finest blades I've ever crossed. If we should ever meet on the battlefield for real, it would be a sad day for both our kingdoms.

*rip off the sleeve of your shirt and offer it as a bandage, and have a nearby attendant fetch him something to drink*

>>19694602
>thankyouthankyouthankyou

"Honestly Gurunir you had me on the run there until that push. It was well fought. Your sister's remarks on your martial prowess were not exaggerated."
Offer a hand to help him up.

>>19694187
>'I'd sure like to see the mutual gifting ceremonies between Iru and Kaso, however.'
If we can continue that conversation at one time, express our lack of enthousiasm for that pointless grudge match. Comment also on the inertia such large kingdoms can develop in these matters.
But we don't expect to see the same from Theniron and Subaran, and especially not from their voluntarist and ambitious princesses. After all, a war separated us not long ago, and here they are.

>>19694602
Not the Critical Successes, sometimes I fear those more than Critical Failures in Homeless Psych. At least we didn't stab his throat open.

Give him a hand up, don't grab the wounded arm.

Say that it was an excellent fight and that we were honored to cross swords with one as skilled as he.

Help him bind the wound, use the sleeve from our shirt as it shows that we consider our clothing unimportant compared to a injury.

I'm wondering whether we should apologize to Saragites for this, it might be prudent to issue a light apology.

>>19694645
No need to apologise. We're men testing one another. She'll get over it.

>>19694602
Do we have someone who's good at treating wounds in our entourage ? Call him/her.

But >>19694627 is good in the meantime.

>>19694187

flesh wound or not we better get someone to take a look at it.

>>19694627
>>19694628
>>19694633

You quickly tear off part of your sleeve and offer it, and Sara wraps it around Gurunir's arm. She then uses her own sleeve to wipe the blood away. 'Does it hurt?'

'Yeah, stop fawning over me like that.' He seems even more embarrassed now.

You praise his swordsmanship, and he laughs. 'Well, you are not my equal in swordplay, I can see that! It is clever of you to hold back until I got tired, however. You are a clever man. Now, Sara, go along with him, I'm going to try out the horse.'

'What? Now? In your state?'

'Oh, stop it! I'm fine!' Sara watches as Gurunir bows and walks off. Then she turns to you, still looking a little miffed.

You nod and talk about a time when Iru and Theniron crossed swords in anger, and say how nice it is that she's here now. 'Maybe the same will be of Theniron and Subaran? It's not right to compare yourselves to Iru and Kaso. We are old kingdoms, and like old men we bear grudges.'

'Did the prince send you to get us to be friends?' Sara is still frowning. And yet still very beautiful. 'It's interesting that your family takes such an interest in other peoples' families... in any case, it's a lovely morning, so what would you like to do?'

Her words are finished with a roll of thunder. Well, that's sarcasm for you. The skies are a dark, ominous grey...

> What do? Go outside for more walking? Practice some art? Stay indoors? Any suggestions within reason will be considered.

>>19694691
"Tell me of your homeland Sara, what is it like?"

Invite her to some where secluded for tea.

>>19694691

Just as sarcastically as her. I was thinking that we could go out in the gardens and enjoy the shining sun and the gentle breezes.

I have heard that you are an artist of great skill, would you do me the honor of looking upon your work? This is assuming we have reason to believe that she would have some of her art with her, we don't think she would then don't say this, instead offer to talk of Art, her experience as an artist and ours as a tinkerer.

Both of these should occur with tea.

You were about to do the whole attendant thing, since Orchid is standing by, but turns out he doesn't quite want it. Tough guy is tough, I suppose...

> Also, I'm going to get ready for the Euro finals tonight, so I'm going to end this here for now. Sorry for the rather short thread! But still, give suggestions and discuss stuff here - I'll use them in the next thread. Thanks for playing!

>>19694691
She's good at painting, right? Maybe we could ask for a quick lesson?

We should go hunting soon with our men and Gurunir. Let's try and win this guy over. Is there a peach garden free for oaths?

And if he is unmarried, and our tri-state unification idea can get off the ground, we should try to arrange a marriage between him and Meri. Subtly of course.

Hell, maybe he'd be up for the idea of building a new kingdom, the man seems bold enough.

Just asking those present here. As a long term plan, who is in favour of working our way towards a three-part alliance of kingdoms between Theniron, Subaran and a split-off Mars?


>>19694744
Thanks for running it, I look forward to next time!

>>19694691
KILL! MAIM! BURN!

>>19694767

I somehow don't think the unification idea will ever work, so long as this Gurunir is alive. He's too proud to ever concede leadership to us.

In fact, if his father isn't planning to hand over to him, I'd even foresee a pretty bloody civil war.

>>19694776
Splitting Mar off would be extremely risky and we don't have the authority to do it ourself, it might end up being our best option, but it'll be hellish to get past people and there will probably be severe internal strife even if we do pull it off, and if we don't we'll probably end up dead.

As for getting Theniron and Subaran together, it's a nice thought and if we can pull it off it'd be cool. But given relations between them it seems impractical, we shouldn't allow our desire for this to interfere in our other plans.

I'd prioritize getting on Theniron's good side, getting close to Saragites, I think we've earned a fair bit of Gurunir's respect from the sword fight which is is necessary for marrying Saragites, who is a far better marriage choice politically speaking than Merinites.

A bird in the hand is worth two in a bush.

>>19694776
I'm for it. Let us seize destiny by the short and curlies and make it our bitch. No one won a prize for being under-ambitious.

But it'll be a long and bloody road.

In the grand scheme of things, our first order of business will be succeeding our father and dealing with our brothers. Forced retirement, subservience, or death.

Our dad may have to die if he won't abdicate. Our brothers will need to be forced in line or thrown into exile. If they won't behave, they'll need to go the way of dad.

This is going to get very dangerous, but the rewards will be immeasurable.

>>19694824

To clarify: succeeding your dad alone would have been an act of sedition. The Principality of Mar is not a hereditary position; it is filled by appointment of the King.

I see there's a few ambitious people here! This quest will be fun.

>>19694808

We don't need to kill him to get the triumvirate working. If we pull this off we would be the head of the Mar contigent, and it would do well to have a friendly face as head of the Theniron contigent.

The way I see it is that Theniron and Subaran are never going to hand over the regency in a unification. What we would be aiming for is a close-knit agreement between our three kingdoms of support of healthy amounts of trade.

>>19694808
Who says it will only have only one leader? Three crowns, one kingdom. Stranger organizations have been successful, at least for a time.

And of course, we can set up for a scion of ours to inherit all three crown eventually.

>>19694822

I'm wondering why everyone seems to be really down on mernites. We've hardly talked to her before running off to see sara, and we seem to be dismissing her out of hand.

We shouldn't do this. Let's talk more to her and see if she really hasn't anything to offer. If she hasn't, she wouldn't even be here, right? She's a quiet person so we may have to dig it out of her subtly.

>>19694832
Then we just have to secure our position as heir before he goes.

>>19694844

So will the duke of Subaran. And so will the duke of Theniron.

Anyway, if we're reuniting, who are we reuniting as? The other two run their own duchies, we don't run our own kingdom. If push came to shove, we'd most likely be at the bottom of the pile...

>>19694861
Then we must become King of Iru!

Or form our own rebel state.

> who are we forming against?

Empire building is its own reward.

>>19694824
That will turn us into a target with a giant neon sign on us, we simply don't have the necessary foundations to pull something like that off.

For our route to power we should look at Gesadag as an example, he's one of the most powerful men in Mar, I would put him right below our Father but with more finesse. Quiet behind the scenes power, a great deal of influence and far less assassins pointed at us.

>>19694846
She's a lovely girl, but Saragites has more political power to offer.

Also I'm biased as hell because from what we've seen I like Sara more. I happen to like tall, proud, slightly cold beauties with razor wit. So sue me.

>>19694824
Who is our main competition for getting the Principality of Mar? It's not hereditary, so there is every real chance that if we make ourselves the most attractive candidate we will be given it anyway.
1) Our Father: It is utterly impossible for us to seize control of Mar until he dies (naturally or otherwise) or abdicates and is exiled (a more dangerous option). We must avoid any sort of movement against him whatsoever until we are sure of our success. I would actually prefer to wait him out rather than make a move, as it gives our cause more legitimacy.
2) Our second-eldest brother. I don't see much threat from him (mentally that is). He will probably instigate something and leave us with a perfect opportunity to either publicly condemn him or otherwise turn the populace against him.
3) Our younger brother. This one has a lot of ambition, and I get the feeling he won't support us if we make our bid.
4) Gesadag. Very, very dangerous. But invaluable if we get him on our side, and I believe we can.

>>19694822
I am talking long, LONG term here. We would need to build up such a rapport with the populace that they would be willing to support us if it came to a rebellion.

>>19694861
Mar used to be an independent Duchy. Maybe it should be again?

With two other duchies backing us, we'd have some teeth. And duchies they'd be no longer, but a single kingdom with three kings. Suburan, Theniron and Mar.

Possibly with overlord-ship being passed between each monarch on an annual basis.

The United Kingdoms, or the UK for short.

>>19694892
> we should look at Gesadag
> behind the scenes

I'd rather be Rhaegar and die young in glory, rather than grow old as Littlefinger.

>>19694892

Personal taste is fair enough. But how can we be so sure about the political power bit? We've only heard of Sara's offer, and know her position. It looks superior.
But we don't yet know about Meri's offer, and what her position might be. It may prove to be just as good a deal.
I just think that jumping into a decision based on one side can be foolish.

>>19694905
Imian and Tinaga will both be trouble. They should be dealt with quietly, when an opportunity presents itself.

>>19694923

I'd much rather stay alive, thanks very much.
Humiliation ends when we win, but there's no reprieve from death.

>>19694876
We wouldn't be able to sieze the entire Kingdom of Iru. That would be an unprecedented coup by any standards, especially as we have no contacts in the royal court itself.
But I think we could breakaway and form our own Kingdom of Mar.

>>19694861
>So will the duke of Subaran. And so will the duke of Theniron.
Hence why a chain of marriages between our children will probably only make the alliance stronger, not weaker.
That or one of the terms of the alliance is that there is some sort of agreed upon way of deciding a suitable heir.

>>19694941
A glorious rebel lives forever, a string puller dies in obscurity. And some humiliations can be as lethal as a knife in the throat. Honourable suicide is a thing for a reason.

>>19694941
> stay alive

Everyone wants that, no one has ever managed to achieve it.

Live as a turtle, live long or short, either way you still die a turtle.

Me, I'd rather be a lion and risk it all.

>>19694935
Both our favoured brothers dying off in suspicious circumstances is doubtless going to raise suspicion towards us, and mud sticks.
I think we have to denounce them and destroy their position first. That will be relatively easy with Tinaga, and I think we can make Imian fall in line if Tinaga's fate is awful enough.

>>19694978
We could always goad them into attacking us, justifying our response. A risky strategy, but potentially a winning one.

>>19694923

I don't think glory was what was going through Rhaegars head when Robert was swinging a mace through his skull. I think it was a mace.

We're ambitious, but we're not gloryhounds.

>>19694955
A glorious rebel is also dead, and the string puller is alive, that is a big difference. And this isn't Japan, ritual suicide is not really common.

We should be ambitious, but not stupid. We should not take risks until we're properly prepared as we do not have a strong enough power base to break Mar off and it will be heavily opposed and come with serious consequences like an army marching towards Mar.

We should get in good with at least one of the two Duchies, I prefer Theniron, try to improve relations between the two of them but not to the point where it risks our connection to the preferred one, build up favorable relations, engage in more mutual trade. But don't rush too fast into this, steady progress is preferable to leaping blindly and hoping that we can bring two Duchies which hate each other together. We're the second prince and we don't have enough leverage to just make it happen.

We can try to keep Gurunir, Saragites, and Merinites from rubbing each other the wrong way while we're here, but beyond that we'd be risking the relations with one too much and might end up with nothing.

>>19694984

This is a sound plan for dealing Tinaga, though we should take care to make sure that the incident is both public and comes across as being almost completely unprovoked. Given his reputation for having a legendary temper that won't be hard to pull off.

Imian is a little trickier. We might expose his supposed piety as a fraudulent act, but that's both trickier and less permanent than the Tinagan solution. I personally think we make an example of Tinaga in front of him if possible, and more examples if required, to bring him into line. Unless you have another idea?

>>19695017
...it will be heavily opposed and come with serious consequences like an army marching towards Mar.

Idea: If we somehow provoke or organise an attack from another nation (I believe there was one spoiling for a fight somewhere) against the Kingdom of Iru, that would provide a perfect opportunity to split of and build up the Kingdom of Mar. They can't send an army to bring us back into line with another nation attacking them, and by the time they win (if they even do) we will actually have our act together and be ready.

>>19695026
Imian is up to something stupid with the religious folk. Bust it open and we'll have power over the little shit.

>>19695057

Perfect. Do we have access to anyone who might be able to infiltrate a relevant priesthood or somesuch?

>>19695017
> We should be ambitious, but not stupid. We should not take risks until we're properly prepared as we do not have a strong enough power base to break Mar off and it will be heavily opposed and come with serious consequences like an army marching towards Mar.

You make it sound as if it is something we are planning to do tomorrow.

No shit it'll blow up in our face if we don't do the proper leg work, but it is far from impossible.

Planning to form our own kingdom is much better than wasting thread after thread trying to get a local merchant to marry a whore for no discernible reason.

I've felt for a long time that we are both not ambitious enough and lacking in ruthlessness. It's time we make a goal beyond fucking our servants and playing with local powers. Let's step it up and shake this setting to its core.

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>>19695090
>get a local merchant to marry a whore
We were doing this to get some valuable gate guests...or something. Where are we on that anyway?

Also, I propose that we reform our newly founded Kingdom's army to look like this? Why, you say? For the Glory of Sauron of course!

>>19695044
Hmmm, Kaso has been making belligerent moves lately, might we find some way to escalate that?

>>19694955
>>19694962
Be a lion, you'll still die, and you won't remember.

But this is all vanity. We're not a lion or a turtle, we're Adrian, earl of Mar, and our life will be too short.
We have to make the most of it.
But this does not mean gambling everything on an endeavour for the sole reason that its chances of success are small.
We have to judge our projects on their potential results, not on their difficulty.
What use would it be to us, or to the people among which we live, to secede from Iru ? Assuming we succeed, we would get to be named king (with two others... remember that the other UK had only one king) and be spared the tribute we pay to Iru. We would also lose a large part of our human and material ressources, and be forced to share what's left with the two others.
I would much prefer to be prince in a large and wealthy federation of kingdoms, than to be king in an isolated frontier nation. Titles don't mean much in regard to actual power.

And power doesn't mean much when its only use is to protect itself. I want power to improve the quality of my short life. This means not losing myself in a maelstrom of conflicts and ambitions. This means improving the land and people around me. A third of a king might not accomplish that better than a prince.

This means choosing the closest persons to me not on the potential and theoritical power they bring me, but on the actual improvement to my life that power can itself bring... along with their very presence and closeness. I don't want a tool for a wife.

>>19695121
The whore gambit of dubious gain was abandoned when a kind anon pointed out how bug-fuck stupid it was. Unfortunately, several threads had been wasted on the endeavour.

Not our brightest moment.

>>19695172
> We have to make the most of it.

Bull. Shit.

Fuck coasting by as a subordinate in a kingdom that seems content to strangle itself on old traditions. I'd rather be king of the ant-hill and actually build something rather than maybe with enough politicking be granted the privilege of being the royal ass-wiper.

Grab it. Own it. Make it ours. Or burn the whole damn kingdom down.

Cut down that 'noble tree' and plant something new.

I'm not content to just play games and fuck bitches.

>>19695172
>>19695172
>We would also lose a large part of our human and material ressources, and be forced to share what's left with the two others.
No we wouldn't. The Principality of Mar, if we were to make it ours, gives us a shiton more access to human resources and materials if we were to make it ours. Adding to ally-kingdoms to our banner isn't sharing (as we are not seceding any lands or giving tribute or some such rubbish) it is getting two powerful allies on our side. Allies that will open the way to trade and, in a generation or two, possibly a the foundation of a unified kingdom stronger than either Iru or Kaso.

>I would much prefer to be prince in a large and wealthy federation of kingdoms, than to be king in an isolated frontier nation.
But you we always be subservient to the king. That's not real power.

>>19695185
Hmm. So then, since I think we should still fulfill our promise to Gerharo and Katseas, we should probably just confront the would-be friends of this merchant with the knowledge that he is a serial killer AND buy affilliating with him they are making themselves our enemies. We might need a bit more political weight before we can pull that off though. I think we were making some progress before.

>>19695226
You. I like you.

Goddamn my spelling. I think it's time I head off to bed. Night gentlemen.

>>19695231
No. The principality of Mar, if we isolate it from Iru, will give us much less than what it does now. Trade with the rest of Iru and with the other kingdoms to the west and south is much more profitable than trade with barbarians and the two duchies. Our wealth comes from our position at the middle of the trade route, being the end of it won't bring nearly as much.
As for sharing with our new "allies", you can be sure they will want to get as much as possible from us. That's why they came to us now, and getting closer to them certainly won't stop them.

>But you we always be subservient to the king. That's not real power.
That's just very wrong. Power is power. First, once again, a king may have less power than a prince. It all depends on the kingdom and principality, not on the title. Second, the King of Iru doesn't seem to meddle much in the affairs of Mar. Paying tribute is not being subservient.
And I only care for the power I can use.

>>19695226
All kingdoms strangle themselves with traditions. That's how the people live here, and the same goes for theniron and the other. We can't change that overnight. Isolating Mar from Iru and the others kingdoms is stupid. Antagonizing the nobility and most of the other power groups is suicidal. And doing it for our ego ?
Caligula, at least, didn't do it for the honors.

File: 1341153527763.gif-(124 KB, 500x339, Prince-George-blackadder-12012(...).gif)

>No. The principality of Mar, if we isolate it from Iru, will give us much less than what it does now. Trade with the rest of Iru and with the other kingdoms to the west and south is much more profitable than trade with barbarians and the two duchies. Our wealth comes from our position at the middle of the trade route, being the end of it won't bring nearly as much.
So we trade with the (larger) Kingdom of Kaso. Is that straightforward enough?

>As for sharing with our new "allies", you can be sure they will want to get as much as possible from us. That's why they came to us now, and getting closer to them certainly won't stop them.
Of course they will, and we're going to do the same. It's exactly what happens in any agreement or alliance.

>Paying tribute is not being subservient.
What?
>And I only care for the power I can use.
>Shagging my attendants and generally being a useless fop
>end up like pic related
Yeah...you don't know what you're talking about.

>>19695445
>So we trade with the (larger) Kingdom of Kaso. Is that straightforward enough?
I'm pretty sure Iru is between Kazo and us. And nothing says Kaso would be willing, even if it uses the occasion to conquer Iru, which is itself something it might not be willing - or able - to do.

>Of course they will, and we're going to do the same.
Yeah, and as the richest and the most threatened, we've got two options : taking power over the two others, and be the sole king (we might not be able to do it), or giving them more than we get.

>Shagging my attendants and generally being a useless fop
I have nothing against shagging attendants, but I fully intend to improve significantly the principality, to try and do the same with the kingdom, and to have theniron and subaran follow.
You're the one who don't know what you're talking about, if you think that starting open conflicts left and right is being useful.

>>19695386
Gaining independence wouldn't change the geography of the landscape, we would still be perfectly placed to act as a hub for trade between the Realm and the Eastern Lands; even if Iru tried to spite us by refusing to trade, we could always establish connections with other kingdoms. In fact, as an independent state we could gain much greater volumes of trade by trading with several kingdoms at once and establishing a reputation as a stable and merchant-friendly realm.

>>19695445
And yes, paying tribute is not being subservient. That's just money. We're buying power. Like we do when we pay our gate guests, soldiers, lower-ranked nobles, etc.
If we couldn't use that power to carry out our own projects, we'd be subservient. That's not the case.

And the expenditure that this tribute represent, the cost of our power, is sure to be much less than the cost of our would-be power as the King of Mar. And the more important the expenditure gets, the less we can do actually useful and productive stuff with our power, .

>>19695560
>I'm pretty sure Iru is between Kazo and us. And nothing says Kaso would be willing, even if it uses the occasion to conquer Iru, which is itself something it might not be willing - or able - to do.
Kaso has been spoiling for a fight, and has long resented Iru. They will jump at a chance to go to war, especially if we weaken Iru with rebellion. And Mar is a full third of the Kingdom of Iru. Between us, our allies and Kaso we could carve it up between us quite nicely. Profitable for everyone.


>Yeah, and as the richest and the most threatened, we've got two options : taking power over the two others, and be the sole king (we might not be able to do it), or giving them more than we get.
How so? If we are the largest kingdom in this agreement, we have the most sway over negotiations. As for gains, see the above destruction of Iru.

> I fully intend to improve significantly the principality, to try and do the same with the kingdom, and to have theniron and subaran follow.
All of which is easier to achieve as a King in our own right than a 3rd-rate prince in a principality. We may not even succeed our father if Iru appoints a different successor. Then where will we be?

>>19695614
That is pants on head retarded. Tribute is nothing like wages. Tribute isn't even like gifts. Tribute represents you showing deference to the person you are giving it to.

Next you'll be saying the kneeling doesn't indicate subservience.

>>19695577
>establishing a reputation as a stable and merchant-friendly realm.
>by seceding from Iru and bulding a kingdom with three kings
I'm pretty sure the merchants will not be happy with our egotistical ambitions, not to say anything about having to skirt around Iru and cross a new border. We're already angering them by defending the immigrants in this town, and you expect thanks for throwing our lot with the barbarians ? We should expect a quiet assassination. Iru will be sure to reward the noble family who'll do the deed.

I think that we should also consider that secession would be more in keeping with the plans and alliances that we have made so far, we have shown ourselves to be upset with the status quo, sympathetic towards the Easterner immigrant community in Mar, and more interested in gaining connections to the Eastern duchies than kissing up to the royal court in the capital. Given our previous decisions, the break-away-from-Iru-and-forge-a-new-kingdom-with-our-eastern-allies plan is a more natural progression for our character.

>>19695652
We should expect assassinations anyway.

As for the merchants, its become pretty clear that:
1) We have already sided with the immigrant merchants as it is
2) The immigrant merchants are the ones with all the plans to revitalize the city.

If we are king we can exile or seize the assets of the recalcitrant merchants, leaving room for enterprising and more agreeable fellows to step in. We're already loved by the immigrant population as it is.

>>19695652
What are you talking about, the Localists aren't the only merchants in Mar you know, in fact I think it has been stated several times that the Easterner immigrants are actually more successful merchants right now. As to barriers to trade, I think that the current status quo is far less conducive to trade than our rule would ever be, and skirting around Iru wouldn't be an issue if Iru no longer existed.

>>19695650
Showing deference ? That's just an act, that's for appearances. I don't care about appearances, I want power, and useful power.
There's things we can do, and things we can not do. That's what power is about. Tribute, titles, those things are secondary.
We can do more as a prince than as a king.

>>19695628
Kaso has a grudge against Iru, but that doesn't mean it wants a war. It didn't go to war 25 years ago, when Mar was ravaged by war. The kingdoms of the realm are linked together. Probably because they have more to lose in a war than to gain.
Iru has probably allies of its own too.
Also, who's to say that Kaso would just take two thirds of Iru ? We defended Mar from the barbarians with the help of our people, who wanted to stay in the big kingdom. We can't guarantee that they'll show the same zeal to defend us against Kaso or Iru.

>If we are the largest kingdom in this agreement, we have the most sway over negotiations
We are maybe the largest, probably the richest. But as I said, we're also the most threatened, and the one with the most to lose. We won't have the most sway over negociations.

>All of which is easier to achieve as a King in our own right than a 3rd-rate prince in a principality
Once again, you forget that the titles is not everything. A king of an impoverished nation ravaged by war and conflicts certainly won't be able to do much. As for succeeding our father, I don't think it will be nearly as difficult or as costly than to create a three-headed kingdom after seceding from Iru.

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>>19695691
>If we are king we can exile or seize the assets of the recalcitrant merchants
Yeah right. They'll see a brand new crown on our head and they'll all go "here, take our stuff great king".
Our power depends on our people.

Supporting immigrants as we've done up to now isn't quite the same as replacing the local ones with them. Revitalizing the city doesn't require a civil war in addition to an independance war.

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>>19693719

This is for you.

>>19695683
Going overboard would only be natural if we're mad with ambition. But we've shown ourself to be a prudent man.

>>19695709
The localist are not the most enterprising faction, but it is the most powerful and the most important.
War and closed borders will be the consequence of our rule as a king. I'm pretty sure the status-quo is better for trade. But we've started to make things move, and we'll be able to move them further. Unless we decide to push too fast and bring it all crashing down.
We won't look like a "merchant-friendly realm" if we kick out the local ones.
And betting on Iru disppearing is quite a gamble.