>>18624774
Sleep in, take a bath with linden, and get some breakfast.

Current companions:

> Linden, Rose, and Baseg, your servants
> Kanjen and Munen, swordsmen retainers of your father
> Zatin, wandering swordsmen, and five servants
> Three mercenary bowmen
> Eight recovered young girls, as witnesses
> Five captured bandits
> Captured constable
> Agiho, captured magistrate of House Ahun

Items:

> Fine quality narrow sword
> Jade ornament, in the shape of a hawk
> Stonefolk wood carving of an antlered bird, ornament
> Badges and symbols of Office
> Evidence: papers confirming magistrate's links to the bandits

Let's get up and take a bath. Check around the inn.

Check and see how Linden's doing. Let her sleep in, she did good the other day and deserves some healing and rest time.

We still need a bath, though. Sleep in with Linden then after a while wake up and have her prepare one. After that breakfast.

What ever happened to those captured Stone Folk we were bringing back as slaves?

Take a bath. We should be ready after breakfast to get back to the capital tp meet with Dad and finish preparing the prosecution against the felonious fiends

>>18624852
>>18624822

You rear up a little to see Linden stretched out on the bed, snoring away. You've been resting on her breast all this while, and the prospect of staying there is the best you can think of for the moment.

So you do, and meanwhile you can hear the sounds of people below going about their business. A middle aged man's voice is talking, and a young woman responds, about the food they are making today.

'Is there meat for the lord, though?'

'We... have enough I guess, father. Just enough.'

Another person is padding about the inside of the inn now, maybe yet another family member. This inn, situated as it is in a large village, must not get many prominent visitors.

At length Linden wakes up and strokes your hair. 'Mmmm, sir. Morning. I see I am a nice pillow,' she murmurs.

> What do? Also, those slaves were left at the Ahun estate. And given you have captured an Ahun servant and magistrate, it was thought best not to go back and retrieve them.

>>18624852
>>18624885
>>18624835

'Excellent,' you grin, and the two of you get up. Linden draws a bath, and you soak in it for a relaxing while, when someone knocks on the door.

Linden goes to answer it, then you hear the sound of protestations coming from outside, in the room. Something about breakfast. When you come out, you see another girl - the young woman downstairs just now - holding a tray, and Linden trying to take it.

'It's my job, miss.'

'Please, lady, let a humble servant do this much...'

> What do?

>>18624980

Hmmm. Is that the innkeeper's daughter or something?

Let's tell Linden to rest. We should talk more to commoners...

>>18624980
Well, breakfast in bed. I'm all right with that.

"It's alright, Linden. Just tell her to put the tray on the table and we can have breakfast after the bath"

>>18625007

second this. let linden go and bathe some more or something, that's fine.

>>18624980
If she wants to do it that much, let her. Tell Linden to hop in the bath with us and we'll eat together. Ta da, problem solved, I'm sure both of them would be happy with the arrangement. Ask her why she insists so on carrying the tray, about the inn, and how business is. Then dismiss her, she's just a peasant after all.

It comes to mind that if we are becoming a spymaster we could buy a few inns for gossip and as staging areas/safehouses for our spies and assassins. If this one is doing badly it would be cheap, but would mainly serve as a safehouse. If it's doing well and has a lot of travelers then it would be a prime information gathering site in addition to that.

Just something to consider once we are back in the palace and looking for stuff to do.

Why are we wasting our time with baths and shit?
Hurry up and get to the palace! No time for lollygagging!
Check on magistrate, see if he hasn't escaped yet.

Also, keep an eye on the servant girl, I don't trust her.

>>18625007
>>18625066
>>18625071
I like this. Linden gets to be happy because she's treated like a noble lady/mistress/hand-of-the-prince/whatever and the servant gets to serve us food.

>>18625071
We still have to pay our mercs and men for the journey. I suspect we have lost around half of our savings.

Let's look for an income source before we randomly buy property in the princedom.

>>18625128
I'm not saying right this second. I'm just saying it might be a good thing for future investments.

>>18625007
>>18625066
>>18625071

'It's fine then, Linden. You can go back to the bath for now.' Then you watch as the innkeeper's daughter puts the tray down and quickly arranges everything. It's a humble breakfast, really, but it looks nicely made.

The girl is blushing all the while as she works, and there is a certain beauty in that too. 'So.'

'Ah, yes your lordship! I mean...'

'It is nice of you to want to serve breakfast.'

'Sir, it's just that father thought it best to come up and see how you were... doing, sir.' Well, clearly an attempt to butter you up then.

'Does the inn see many other customers?'

'Quite a few, sir. We're on the road to the capital, so there are merchants and wanderers and so on. In fact there appear to be some who have just arrived this morning, and they're downstairs now.' Then she blushes again. 'Sorry, sir, I've been long-winded, I'll go now...'

You look at the tray, and then carry it into the bathroom. Because you are really skilled at doing servant work, you end up spilling sauce all over the tray, and the two of you eat breakfast in the tub while playing footsie. Visitors, hmmm...

> Hmm. What do?

> Oh, regarding property acquisitions:

Most nobles turn their noses up at the idea of being involved in work of any sort, including investment in industry. Yet at the same time it is such a lucrative thing that many do it anyway.

In cities, this naturally takes the form of shops, yards for artisans, and different workshops and factories for goods. You can specify what you want to purchase and own as we go.

In the rural areas, the standard measure of land is the Imu. Normally, owning at least 8 to 10 imu makes you a reasonable freeman farmer; more prosperous smallholders could have between 30 and 50, while nobles can own vast estates of several hundred or even thousand imu.

>>18625155
Well, could be good, could be bad. But we gotta get ready to go. Get everyone ready for the trip back

>>18625155

... Is this a chance to gain retainers? Man, if those are skilled men, we should talk to them.

>>18625155
Ask Linden what she knows about the various inns and, ideally, posh luxurious places around the palace. I'm sure we know several, but Linden is smart and has been with us to most of them probably.

Also, ask about her. Or maybe just think about her if we already know her past. It would be good to have some background of her skills other than, well, being a very good right hand woman, personable, and sexy.

>>18625219
This. Cut shit short and get back home.

>>18625252
>>18625219
Don't be so impatient, there's time.

Let's talk to Linden, yes, and then let's talk to the men downstairs - whoever they are.

Of course, at the first opportunity, check on our prisoners and escorts. We already have ample evidence, and Ahun can't cockblock us. For now we are secure.

>>18625275
I'm paranoid. Lets not take chances and get to the safety of the palace as soon as possible. The time for relaxing will come later.

>>18625210
>'We... have enough I guess, father. Just enough.'

We do pay for our stay at the inn, right?

>>18625298
>>18625219
>>18625248

Before you went back to the bath you summoned Baseg, and told him to make everything ready to go at a moment's notice. 'How are the people?'

'The girls are in good spirits, sir. The prisoners are, well, prisoners. And secure.' He then chuckles. 'One of Zatin's friends has just arrived at the inn, actually. Along with a few other people, who seem to have come from the capital. Along with a few merchants.'

> Looks like a draw for now... so, ignore everyone and rush home, or take time to talk to people?

>>18625328
Oh come on, we're a prince of the realm and should act like it.

Besides, I am of a mind that the palace is probably more dangerous than where we are right now. There will be a lot of people unhappy if we please Dad, and if we don't please Dad then that's just as bad.

>>18625345

You... actually don't have to. But so far you have been paying, out of concern for reputation. I take it you will pay this time?

>>18625348
Talk with Linden and leisurely finish breakfast then pay a visit to the men downstairs.

Have our dudes strategically come down and place themselves around the room before we do, just in case, to satisfy all the paranoiafags.

>>18625348
might want to have a look at the merchants

>>18625365
Of course.

>>18625348
Might as well take an hour so Zatin can talk to his friends. Also, ask the merchants what happening in the capital

>>18625365
Yes, please.

Is meat rare around these parts? Or is it simply something this in usually doesn't serve its guests?

>>18625365
Yes.

Also let's not exactly rush back, but certainly not tarry.

>>18625350
>Oh come on, we're a prince of the realm and should act like it.

I don't think we have been acting like a prince of the realm from beginning.

>Besides, I am of a mind that the palace is probably more dangerous than where we are right now. There will be a lot of people unhappy if we please Dad, and if we don't please Dad then that's just as bad.
We will have to get home sooner or later. Better sooner imo.
>>18625348
Well, I think we shouldn't spend too much time here.

>>18625402
It's not like we are going to spend all day here, christ. We're having a long bath with Linden while chatting her up then introducing ourselves to some potentially beneficial friends before heading out.

You make it sound like we're going to be setting up shop here.

>>18625428
I just think the long bath and lovely dovely make-out session with our attendants in unnecessary.

When we're on the road, we should talk to Zatin about bringing him on as a retainer, along with his servants of course. Also talk to the mercenaries about making them our servants in an official sense. We need a retinue.

>>18625248
>>18625367
>>18625298

You ask Linden about the posh spots around the palace, and she titters as she moves the tray away. 'Hankering for a vacation already, your lordship?'

'Mind, I do bloody well deserve it,' you say as she eases her back against your chest. Well, you do know some of the spots that the palace maintains for the use of its nobles. There is a hunting lodge in the south, where a forest and swamp are maintained; there are also two leisure lodges up north in the foothills of the mountains. Two boating lodges, and an island palace, are along the East Lake.

Linden blushes as you mention the island palace; that was, of course, where - after a night of revelry where she attended you - the two of you 'started at it', to use her words. 'As for inns in Margade, sir, you'd best ask someone who's from the city. Maybe Peony. I wonder how that woman is.'

'Be nice, Linden.'

> More incoming. If you want to ask Linden more questions, also do tell.

>>18625402
>>I don't think we have been acting like a prince of the realm from beginning.

Well, at least we've been trying better than most times /tg/ gives this sort of thing a shot.

>>18625459
Really? I've seen many king/ruler type of quests and /tg/ always makes a 'good' character.... even when we're playing blatantly Evil character, we tend to be more tender and caring.

Not that I disapprove. I'm a massive moralfag myself. Just sometimes it's over the top.

>>18625370
>>18625367
>>18625392

After the bath, you then go downstairs, and of course everyone in the inn already knows of the guest and salute you the moment you come down. 'Your lordship! Your nobility and wisdom stabilises the lands and calms the waters.'

'Please don't stand on ceremony.' You have gotten Zatin and his servants, and also the mercenaries, to stand around the restaurant, both for protection and to look more regal. Zatin comes to you, pulling someone along - a man with a bushy beard and badly receding hairline, but with strangely intense and bright eyes.

'Please, Zatin, please, I am in no shape...'

'By the time you're back in shape his lordship would be in the palace,' Zatin counters, then salutes you. 'Sir, I have been an unworthy companion of yours, yet you have showered me with favour and treated me properly all this while. If there is a gift I can make, sir, it would be this man. Katesas is a man of learning, well studied in the strategic arts, and his talent is a hundred times mine.'

'Sir, I am unworthy, sir.'

You look around, meanwhile; there are a few merchants, but they seem content with staying in a corner. It's still very early in the morning.

> What do?

>>18625492

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I'd just like to ask what you think hasn't been princely about the prince so far. Just so I know.

>>18625517
Accept, greet the man. Why turn down freely offered expertise?

>>18625455

This is a good idea. Not sure about the mercs, though. Let's not trust everyone, especially low-born mercenaries...

>>18625535
Pay the mercs a bonus for good work and loyalty. Pay the fallen man's wages to his brother (assuming the guy who said "Brother!" didn't just mean it as "Comrade!"), and try to impress that it should go to the man's family, should he have one.

We don't need to hire them permanently, but we should ensure that they are more than willing to sign on with us again.

>>18625535
yah, I can see your pint about the mercs, but we do need more fighters than just Zatin and his servants.

Let's greet the Katesas guy, and ask if he is willing to join us. Or are we ready to take on our own retainers? If not tell him we will look for him eventually.

>>18625559
Well, we now have a guy skilled in warfare in our retainer plus the personal guard we already have. I think we could probably get some hearty peasants from somewhere and train them up. They would at the least be more loyal than mercs.

>>18625517
Hmm, ask Zatin to explain better. I doubt the man would tell us of his skills honestly (probably would undermine himself)

>>18625524
Well, I don't think it's wrong but people tend to CARE about feelings of people under us too much. Like with our attendants for example, people are treating them like princesses almost as if they are courting them. Like last thread, when the idea of a threesome came out, someone suggested that we should defer to Linden before doing anything, as if she is our equal or, worse, someone higher than us.
Not saying that it is bad behavior. It's just that people don't act like a high-born noble prince would act.
It is also a case of "first come, first serve", referring to the fact that the first female to show slightest attention become immediate waifu.

Also, people tend to play too fucking nice. A good example when the bandit who tried to murder us moments ago asked for mercy and people saw nothing wrong with giving it.
Again, it's not bad behaviour, it just seems that given an option, people will always go for upper choice/blue choice (referring how in video game RPGs, "good" choices are always at the top).

It's just weird for me but you don't have to change anything, it's just the way players often play.

>>18625564
>>18625525

'Katesas, is it?' You salute him. 'I trust Zatin's recommendations. Would you be willing to join my service?'

'Sir...' he bows low. 'I... have business that I still need to attend to, at present. Therefore my travels. But please, sir, be reassured-'

'I am reassured. You will come look for me once you are able. And I will be waiting.'

'Sir,' he gets on his knees, 'you are truly a noble man and lord.'

Meanwhile, you see Linden come down, properly dressed. So everyone's here then, and you are ready to settle the inn's bill and go. 'I have decided. The mercenaries who followed us have been good fighters, and loyal men, even unto death. The deceased comrade shall receive a bonus, and the living shall receive it too.'

The mercenaries' faces light up at this. 'We are forever your loyal soldiers, sir!'

'You will be, at least, until we are back in Raumar.'

> Righto. Anything else, or let's set off?

>>18625581
Yes, it's a noted and pronounced trend for /tg/ to go absolutely batshit white knight over everything. Any quest that involves a morally impure protagonist will be either:
>A) Shortly shifted to an upstanding doer-of-good
or
>B) Engulfed by flamewars between the people who want to stay on character and those who want to become a paragon of light

Just read over any past quest that involved any sort of moral ambiguity.

>>18625612

Right, now I guess we can leave. Let's make haste, and return by nightfall.

On to the Palace then. Let's present our evidence and make sure anyone who needs to know, knows that we never got the messenger's message before the magistrate murdered him. (We did wrap and bring the corpse, I hope.)

>>18625615
I know that feel entirely too well.

>>18625615
I dunno, we were propertly evil in evil quest.
It's just that the people here are also smart enough to think in long term and treating the people you sleep with badly can result in a slit throat, thus ending your long term plans.

something similar happened in Abbadon quest, though that was mostly taken for laughs.

>>18625612
back on topic - I think we're done here, let's go back.

>>18625615

I know that feel too, have been around. Thanks for bringing it up.

In this quest, of course, realism will be lauded - calculating one's interests, fucking others over if necessary. But this setting also places great store by loyalty, honesty, and other such norms (because, well, Asian). A man gains reputations quickly, and often never loses them.

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/137360/charli-carpenter/game-of-thrones-as-theory?page=show

'realism alone is unsatisfying... leaders disregard ethical norms, the needs of their small-folk, and the natural world at their own peril.'

>>18625615
Haha, yeah this.
But there are also time when people get blinded by intense, unexplainable hatred towards somebody and want to enact revenge thousand times more severe than what had been done to them.

>>18625612

Set off, ask Zanit about joining us when we're ready as well. I think he's proven himself.

>>18625715
Observe the player rage/fallout if, for instance, our father's adviser has Rose killed. Head on a pike would be the least that was called for.

>>18625744
>>18625669
>>18625662

> You did, of course, bring back the corpse. Poor emissary.

Leaving the inn, you decide to press hard with the journey, and attempt to make the Palace by nightfall. As evening approaches, you ask Zatin about joining you, and he also salutes you.

'Sir. I am unworthy. But I shall strive to be worthy of you yet.'

You understand what that means - he has other business to attend to, as well. 'What I said to Katesas was said to you too, then.'

'I understand it, sir.' Surprisingly, he does not choose to accompany you into Margade; instead his retinue stop at an inn and bid farewell. No matter what you say, he will not go in.

By the time you reach the palace, it is the curfew hour and the streets are all dark; but you naturally pass the gate without any problem. Then you notice that the whole central palace, your father's residence, is lit up. Huh!

> What do? Go and see father immediately, go back to own quarters first, go somewhere else?

>>18625778
>Death by one thousand cuts!

>>18625816
>> What do? Go and see father immediately, go back to own quarters first, go somewhere else?

I think we should compile an extensive report. Just in case.

>>18625830
So I guess back to rooms to do this.

>>18625816
Go talk to dad first. Tell him we've cracked the case, plus a summarized report and will be presenting him with a detailed one tomorrow

We should probably send someone to tell dad. Or go ourselves, perhaps?

Meanwhile settle everyone down, turn the prisoners over perhaps, or something.

>>18625830
A report? Fuck that! Real men don't do reports. That's what dad always said.

>>18625886
Seconding this. Let's present ourselves so as to not appear to be hiding and get our own version of the story out there first before the rumors fuck us over. We can fully compile the evidence for presentation overnight if we have the chance.

Be bold when we speak to our father. We obviously have nothing to hide and have kicked serious ass. Obviously. Let's not act otherwise and maybe ol' Dad will see some gumption in us.

>>18625915
>>18625934

Okay. And hey, maybe he'll see us in bruises and cuts, and will know that we really did get into intense fights.

>>18625934
>>18625914
>>18625915
>>18625886

First, you send the others back to your chambers; and just then Peony arrives at the courtyard. 'Father sent me, sir.'

'That's nice.'

'You look in awful shape, sir.'

'How can you tell at night?'

'You are walking strangely, and your shoulders are slanted, and your back is bent to one side. I've already gotten a physician in to wait for you, sir.' Ah, Peony, Peony...

You reach the central palace with her in tow, only to see what exactly is going on. There's a banquet in progress right now. Naturally the guards don't obstruct you, but as you reach the courtyard you see a chamberlain - one of Hunagan's many underlings in court - approach you.

'Your lordship has returned! His Highness has been much bothered and alarmed, and much concerned. But he is in a banquet now, and he has said not to be disturbed by news...'

> What do?

On a different topic- our mercenary bowmen. I know we paid them to fight for us, but they did very well and one of them even died in our cause- directly because of one of our decisions, no less, when we stood and attracted attention. And I seem to recall one of them saying 'brother', meaning that the guy who died was his kin. What kind of rewards for going above and beyond are socially appropriate for us to dispense here? Do we give extra cash, offer future work, some kind of gear as a gift, or can we give them some kind of item as a mark of our vouching for their quality that might help them with future work, or what? Or maybe even ask them to enter our personal service as guards/archers on a long-term basis; I certainly wouldn't mind keeping them around. We'll need to work on building a cadre of reliable, loyal people around us in the future.

Point is, we should give them something- not necessarily right now, but before this is all over.

>>18625994

This is me, naturally. Sorry bout that.

>>18625994
>Running this by our character's common-sense-meter first!

Quickly get cleaned up and join the banquet at our rightful spot. Don't mention news, but enter like someone who's accomplished something, not slinking in.

If that's terribly rude, then don't.

Also, find out who all is attending the banquet.

>>18625998

Well, that's where gifts and baubles come in.

You will, from time to time and on many occasion, receive gifts or obtain trinkets and stuff. These, as well as money, can be used as gifts to favour people.

Of course, different people will react differently to different gifts; some men love money, others think giving them gold is calling them mercenary. Giving a crossbow to a woman would be weird, as is giving a jade pendant to a bodyguard. You are still just of age, so don't worry too much about it; you haven't a storage full of this stuff yet, but you will with good management.

> Meanwhile, what do!

>>18625994
Sexy times with BOTH rose and lin?

Wash up a bit, look presentable and get in there. It's a banquet, you're an Earl and there's food. If dad asks, tell him what you did. If not tell him tomorrow.

>>18625998
They are just mercs. We have (or will) give them a respectable reward, enough to get a reputation as someone who pays properly for work done in the future. There's no need to overdo it, they're just peasant scum.

>>18626072
This man's got a point. Peasants are meant to die for their betters.

>>18626086
>>18626072

True, let's not overdo generosity. If we give a lot now, it simply becomes the expected norm in the future.

>>18626098
We've also given them sex time with the slaves we captured, so we've already been an rewarding taskmaster. We should have no issue getting people to work for us at this rate. Too much more and we get marked as a sucker.

>>18626063
Seconding this. Get cleaned up and join the damn party. Like a boss returning home after victory, presuming that wouldn't be a faux pas and unseemly.

Time to check out the nobility and court.

>>18626063
>>18626022

You nod. 'Peony, the- where did you get the flask of water from?'

'I carry it around, sir. Quick, wash yourself a little.'

Thus cleaned and freshened up, you tell the chamberlain. 'I will not bring news, if father does not want it.'

'But, sir-'

'Are you denying the Prince's son a place at the Prince's banquet?' That shuts him up. You walk briskly up the stairs to the banqueting hall itself, and the men you pass who sit outside eating - the servants and lower officials - quickly bow and salute. The chamberlain yells, 'His Lordship, third Earl of Mar!'

You enter the banqueting hall. It's beautifully done up, and lamps and candles light the whole place up like daytime. Everyone is seated in rows of tables on either side of the central path, being attended to by maids; and at the very end of the hall is your father. They all stand and salute you as you pass.

You walk all the way up to the 20 pace mark and salute, but he does not reply. You look up; he's just looking at you. It's not hard to tell he is drunk.

> What do?

Also, make sure that the prisoners we brought are guarded by our loyal men.

>>18626176
Greet him, tell him it's a great party like always, then take a seat and have some noms. Hobknob with other nobles around the court, check for cute noble ladies, listen in on plots by the men. That kind of thing.

Best to stay away from Dad when he's drunk. Damn, this is why I wanted some slaves to present to him when we got back.

>>18626176

Um... good evening, father?

... this sounds like we should be really careful. Is he angry at us? Is it an angry stare?

>>18626176
Can we tell what kind of mood he appears to be in? If we make him a present of the bandits we took as slaves does it look like he will receive them favorably or not?

I guess if push comes to shove we have, what, eight pretty virgin girls to give him?

>>18626300
>>18626294

For a man as famously bad-tempered as your father, you - who know him more than most other people - know he is pretty good at not letting his emotions show. This is one of those times. Roll d100.

rolled 91 = 91

>>18626358

>>18626358
>>18626362
Do we want a high roll, or a low roll?

rolled 80 = 80

>>18626358
Rolla get a dolla'

rolled 49 = 49

>>18626362
>>18626378
THANK YOU BASED RNG

>>18626362

You look down from his face, and see his neck vein throbbing. He is clearly very angry now.

The silence in the hall is thick enough to roll up and beat someone to death with.

> What do?

>>18626383
Stop rolling.

rolled 58 = 58

>>18626391
Aw shit. I wonder what he's angry at. At us probably.

>>18626391
So, you gonna shout me out, or should we just skip to being grounded?

>>18626393

Oh don't be nasty.

I think we should just keep quiet and take it as it comes. If we sound too cocky, he might get even more enraged.

>>18626417
pretty sure that will make him even more angry

rolled 58 = 58

>>18626358
Well, let's do a staged approach.

First we use words. Ideally we get him to ask us about our trip.
If that doesn't seem to be doing anything we present him with the slaves.
If that still doesn't work... well, we can present him with the girls I guess. They would have a pretty decent lives as servants.

>>18626465

We haven't got slaves. It's been said. They've been left at the Ahun estate.

>>18626465
Lets not do anything of that just yet. We might have interrupted something important.

> So... say anything? Or just let dad start?

>>18626391
I think we ought to let him speak before putting our foot in our mouth.

>>18626465
Okay, nevermind, we just bow and complement him on his feast.

We just came to present him with some gifts we picked up for him on the road. Give him some slaves, bow, and either sit and eat or GTFO depending on what it looks like we should do.

Or maybe it would just be a good idea to say we came to pay our respects to him on our return in order to honor him, bow, and go.

>>18626504
I think we let dad start.


I hate it when high rolls are bad

>>18626519
>Or maybe it would just be a good idea to say we came to pay our respects to him on our return in order to honor him, bow, and go.

This might also be good.

>>18626491
The bandit prisoners are now slaves. We could also present some of the girls if it got us out of being disinherited. Not number one on my list of things to do with said girls who thought they were being saved, but better than losing our position. Gifts of virgin girls can cool even the hottest tempers, though.

>>18626518
Yeah, looks like he's been stewing for a while now, best to just let him vent before we go all Poirot on him.

>>18626504
I would suggest we bow and say we came to honor him at his feast upon our return. Not a lot that can go wrong there, and he's probably mostly furious at us for tromping in and stealing the show and putting the banquet on hold.

If we make our showing up something that is done to honor him then:
1) That will either lessen or negate his anger, as it brings him more prestige and makes him look even better at his banquet
2) People will see that we are crafty and know how to play the courtly games

>>18626586
Oh, and needless to say people understanding that we are keen of mind and quick witted (plus our recent feats of arms and such) will instantly get us into the courtly politicking as people maneuver for both the favor of and to use the new princeling who is in the mix.

As long as we dodge Dad's wrath, that is.

>>18626535
>>18626518
>>18626525
>>18626537

> The high roll is hardly bad. Would you rather shoot off your mouth, thinking he's quietly glad to see you?

You stand, silent, and finally after a while your father speaks. 'You're back.'

'I... yes, father.'

'Well. Bring up some liquor.'

You look up to see an attendant bring him a tray with a bronze cup on it. He takes the cup, examining it slowly, turning it in his hand. Then suddenly the cup is flying towards you, its contents spilling as it spins in the air. You sidestep it.

'THIS... IS HOW AN UNFILIAL SON IS TOASTED!'

'Father, I-'

'You are seventeen and your wings are hard now, aren't you? You're a general in the field and your father's orders are not to be obeyed, are they? You are now an earl with a mandate, and you will trample the world underfoot, isn't it!?' He stands up, roughly pushing the attendants aside. 'I sent you an emissary, the moment I was sent a message that you might be up to no good. And where is he now, eh? Where is he? You should have been back here three days ago. Where the hell have you been?'

> What do/say? Tell the truth? Lie?

Well, we know Dad. If we say anything, ANYTHING AT ALL, will he interrupt with yelling? Or is it better to calm him down a bit before he gets into a drunk rant?

OP, give background knowledge please.

>>18626621
Get a better courier. I didn't get the damn message till about two days ago

>>18626625

You know him all your life... but you've yet to find a way around him when he's angry, unfortunately.

Thus far, learning from your elder brother's mistakes, you've simply tended to shut up and roll with it. Which is what you did.

>>18626637
Do not say this.

>>18626625
Yes, this. He's our father and we've managed to tiptoe around him for years at this point. Clearly we should know SOMETHING of how to act around the man and how his moods go.

>>18626637
don't say that! Don't even make it seem as it's his fault.

Just say that he has been killed by the magistrate. Which is true, and might put him off enough that he wont question when exactly he died.

>>18626621
>Lie a little, just about getting the message

"The emissary's message had to be delivered secondhand, as a magistrate of the Ahun saw fit to kill him. I had already seized the magistrate by the time I received your order, for killing your emissary and for a number of other crimes against you."

>>18626621
I say we bring the Constable and Magistrate before him, tell him our story in full and get them to confirm what happened. Only results will placate our father's wrath now.

The local magistrate intercepted the messenger and had him killed.

Magistrate is still alive, by the way, if you wish to punish him

"He's dead. I brought you the man who killed him, a magistrate of the Ahun. A magistrate who is also guilty of numerous other crimes against you, as I have the evidence to prove."

>>18626688
Don't say he intercepted him. Because he didn't. Just say he killed him.

>>18626677
This is good, but add in we came home swiftly as soon as we pried the message from their hands.

It of course all hinges upon the definition of the word swiftly, fortunately, and we can make a case for being swift no matter what.

>A man gains reputations quickly, and often never loses them.

Yeah, it's hard to get rid of a reputation gained once. That's why you'd better be mindful of how you act.

Hopefully the magistrate will give him a target to focus his anger on other than us. Oh, do I hope.

Try to direct anger to the magistrate

>>18626677
>>18626659
>>18626688
>>18626693
>>18626702

'Father. Please listen to your son's explanation.'

You look up into that frightful stare, as he thinks over whether to let you speak or just kick you out. Then he looks around at the gathered guests, as if he's just remember this is a public outburst.

'Well. Go on.'

'The emissary was... murdered, by a local magistrate.'

'Bullshit! The Ahun escorted him all the way to your location, in the south of their appanage!'

'And it was there that he was killed, father.' You look up. 'I have proof, and witnesses. Your gate-guests, Kanjen and Munen, and my own valets and servants can attest. I have captured the insolent and rebellious magistrate myself, and gathered ample evidence to prove his many crimes. He murdered an appointed servant of yours, father, and broke the peace of the land, resorting to banditry. I only saw the message when I recovered the body of the emissary, whereupon I made haste to return.'

There is a long, long pause as your father considers your case; and then, at length, he sits down. 'Radase. Masareg.'

You turn and see the Chief Magistrate and Chief Constable of Margade come up. 'Sir.'

'Receive from the earl, the evidence, and the prisoners. How many are there?'

'Seven prisoners, father. And... eight witnesses.'

'Count them.' The men walk away; you can't help but wonder if they're slightly annoyed at having their feast interrupted. Then your father looks at you. 'Will you stay, or do you want rest?'

> What do?

>>18626837
Rest, admittedly. Been riding hard all day to get back

>>18626837

Is that an invitation to stay?

Then again, we're not really in a state to stay and talk, are we? Let's rest.

>>18626837
Staying is good. Staying lets us keep any spin on this that we need to.

>>18626853

Defer to your father's whishes.

Basically politely ask him if he wants to have you around right now.

>>18626837
"I abide at your pleasure, Father, but would dine if given the choice."

>>18626853
>>18626837
Lets stay. I mean, didn't we interrupt them with the intention joining the feast?

>>18626885
also this

>>18626837
Well, a manly sort doesn't need rest, right? And just in case we need to reiterate our story, maybe we ought to stay.

Unless we're so tired we'll make a fool of ourselves.

>>18626837
Stay, we want to see where our story is going in peoples minds and be able to turn it in the right direction.

>>18626897
No, we interrupted so that father wouldn't kick us out of bed in the morning with his kicking boots, sure that we'd slunk back to try and dodge his wrath. Drunk Dad is bad enough, but Hungover Dad who is even more convinced of us being wrong? Yikes.

We need to ask why he send the messenger and who gave him the idea to do it.
If I understand correctly, the messenger was sent pretty much immediately after we left, so it was per-planned.

>>18626887
>>18626885
>>18626894
>>18626897
>>18626934

'I would prefer to dine, father, if you allow it.'

Your father nods, and with a wave of his hand an additional table is brought up - naturally, nearest to him, at the topmost rank. You sit down, and Peony comes up and kneels next to you, pouring a cup of wine.

'Just now I lost my temper, and disrupted the feast. That is my fault,' your father says to the guests. 'Now, let us return to the matter at hand with a good toast!'

'To His Highness's health!' All of you down the burning, strong liquor.

You look around. You are sitting on the house side of the feast, naturally; and on the other side are the usual gathered merchants, guild-masters, and assorted nobles of previous Princes of Mar - your distant cousins, in other words. You can also see a group at the topmost rank, who are clearly Hillmen - wearing fur shoulder-drapes, and leaving their hair untied save at the front.

You don't see your brother, though.

> Free action time! Feel free to ask to meet people within the court - you can ask about who the officials are and I'll tell you. Meanwhile, drink and what do?

>>18626837
A manly man would stay.

>>18626960

This would be interesting, yes.

Also lol@YOU THINK YOU'RE A GENERAL IN THE FIELD, EH?

>>18626999
>You can also see a group at the topmost rank, who are clearly Hillmen - wearing fur shoulder-drapes, and leaving their hair untied save at the front.

Wat.

What is going on here?

>>18626999
Talk to the Hillmen, in their native tongue. They'll be so very surprised and happy that someone can properly talk to them.

See what they're doing here, how the court is treating them and schmooz some with them.

Getting on good terms with the Hillmen seems like a good plan, they'll have many uses including mercs, agents in rural areas and helping maintain good relations with the local barbarians is a good thing.

>>18626999
Let's learn about Hillmen.

>>18627003
>>Especially after we quoted that line about being one to ourselves when deciding what to do, ha!

>>18627003

It's a saying from Sun Tzu, actually. When the general is on the field, he may ignore his ruler's orders, or something like that.

> We're dealing with a real Asian here, players...

>>18627021
>>18627035
>>18627036
>Holy shit immediate agreement on an action, wat

>>18627044

I know. I'Ve read a lot of that stuff in translation, inculding Sun Tzun and the 36 Stratagems.

>>18627044
The specific quote is:

If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even if the ruler forbid it.

If fighting is sure to result in defeat then you should avoid confrontation, even if the ruler commands it

>>18626999
>merchants, guild-masters

Might be good to gain their good graces, if we still plan for our future fiefdom to be commercial in nature.

>>18626999
Look at the other nobles first. Take note of those who have reputations as cunning and powerful. Especially take note of them if they are high ranking and have pretty daughters of marriageable age. We need to start thinking about the future.

Then look to the merchants. I think we should look for one who is nominally prosperous but struggling currently. Perhaps someone who has been effected by the lack of attention our father pays the realm and is here to try and get an audience? If we gave him an audience and heard him out there could be a lot of profit to be made, and we wouldn't need to dirty our hands with that silly merchant stuff ourselves. He would do the work in our name and we would profit.

Plus, if/when we become a spymaster we would be able to make great use of the information a merchant company has... plus it would be a great disguise for our assassins to go along as apprentice our journeyman merchants on trips. Wouldn't raise suspicion when they stopped in at our Inn safehouses or went to various cities on 'business trips'.

>>18627044
>>I may not be Asian, but I've read Sun Tzu myself more than once. Reference was understood immediately by this player, which was why I voted to not go back.

>>18627044
Well, I didn't know that. Thanks for telling.

>>18627073
>Especially take note of them if they are high ranking and have pretty daughters of marriageable age.

Yeah, and let's take not of those that are known to posess got good hunting dogs too, eh?

>>18627120
...what? I mean, I guess getting some good hunting hounds would be a good idea too but it hardly seems on the same level. They would be good for gifts and the like, though, in the future.

>>18627144
I think he means that be careful of fathers who could unleash a pack of hunting dogs on our ass if we seduced their daughter. Taking your daughter's fiancee hunting is equivalent to cleaning the guns in front of them.

>>18627073

I don't think that merchants should be our only get-to people for information gathering. They're the ones who profit from putting a spin on information after all.

We'd do best to get that strategist at a later point and request him to link up with lower-class travellers too - like traveling actors, puppeteer, peddlers and such.

Especially peddlers.

You would not fucking believe which distances peddlers covered right up until WW1.

>>18627160
Then he's being silly, since it would be a political marriage. Ideally love would bloom too and she would be just as intelligent and cunning as we are... plus devoted.

But let's be honest here, we'll have concubines and our personal attendants for the intimate needs like love and companionship. It's just a bonus is our wife (wives?) also fulfills that area.

>>18627036
>>18627035
>>18627021

> Sorry for delay, was getting food.

You go over to the hillmen, especially the man in front whose black lion's-tail tassels on his shoulders mark him out as the leader, and salute him. He quickly stands and gives a Hillman salute, putting his hand on his left shoulder and bowing.

'I have heard for a long time that the Prince's third son was a man of both cunning and courage, a wolf and a lion. A hundred rumours do not match up to a single sighting!'

That said, he immediately gets his men to stand up and toast you. 'To the Third Earl's health!' You then swig it.

> Continue talking to hillmen, or look out for others? Still waiting for, and welcome, suggestions/votes.

>>18627194
Well someone's making with the kiss-ass. Let's chat him up a bit more at least and see what he wants.

>>18627194
Ask them how their journey was and what has been happening at their homes, then ask about how their stay here has been so far. That will basically be asking them the exact same thing as why they are here without looking like we are trying to intrude into our father's business.

>>18627160
>>18627144

Hunting with hounds is good sport, though. And much appreciated. Maybe if you find you do like hunting, it should be time to brush up on archery?

>>18627144
>>18627160

Gifts of pretty girls and hunting dogs were pretty high on the list of stuff that's used to corrupt nobles.

>>18627194
Do we know who this guy is, are Hillmen a common staple at feasts, is he a diplomat or something?

Give him a formal Hillmen greeting in Hillmen, and ask what brings him to our humble halls. Try to get what he's doing here, who he is, what rank he is and so on.

Complement him on his proficiency with the common tongue.

Let's chit-chat with the Hillmen! Ask why they are here.

>>18627219
>>18627236
>>18627245

You don't recognise the Hillmen themselves, but you do recognise their totemic markings on their robes. They are of the Left Section of the Wolves, a tribe long in the patronage and good graces of the kingdom.

'Please, sir, I am hardly worth that praise,' you say in fluent Hillman. 'How was your journey here from the Watch-keep? Have you just arrived in the Palace? And I hope it is not an ill-matter that has led you here?'

The chief diplomat laughs. 'We did arrive just this afternoon, in fact, and it was a good journey, if a rather hard ride. As for what has brought us here, well... you know how we Hillmen are,' he says.

You can only assume he's talking about how quarrelsome and easily divided the Hillmen are. Which they definitely are, you know that much.

> What do? Go to someone else, or continue talking?

>>18627377
Well, we ought not be neglecting others. That would be rude. Chat up some other guests, the noble cousins perhaps.

>>18627377
Really, quarrels within the Hillmen, those aren't common at all. Laugh some at this.

Which clans are fighting this time?

>>18627072
I'm reiterating my suggestion of buttering up the marchants and guild-masters.

>>18627377
Continue talking, ask how the winter has left them and if the herds are strong this year. That should let us know why they have come. If it's starvation or plague the herds will be damaged. If it's war amongst themselves, the herds will be being stolen. If it's something exotic, the herds will be in normal shape and we'll know something special is up here.

>>18627434
We shouldn't get overly fixated on the Hillmen and neglect the other guests.

>>18627463

This I second.

>>18627427
Yes, do this, but see to the nobles first so that they don't feel slighted. Being nobles and all.

Let's chat with the nobles now. Find some who are fairly powerful and known for their sharp minds and make some friends. Pretty, single daughters are a plus but we have a few years to go before we need to act on that. In fact, it could be better to stay single to "keep our options open" as it were. Since we are such a high ranking stud we could save the position of wife (wives? is polygamy accepted in this era or is it to the point of one wife + concubines?) as a political bargaining chip.

But mainly I am interested in who might be the other players in the spy game, right now. We might take one as a mentor or, if more brazen, try to hold our own and form alliances from the get-go.

>>18627434
>>18627414
>>18627403
>>18627427

'I see... well, the Hillmen are a headstrong people, and courageous.'

'You mean we are stubborn, and quarrelsome, and resort to the axe all the time!' He puts his hands on his belly and laughs.

You then ask about winter. 'Well, the herds are reasonably strong, and-' then suddenly his hand flies forward, as if making to punch you. You dodge the blow - what's with people aiming at your face today? - but then see he's caught something. The Hillman opens his palm; it's a small nugget of silver.

You turn to look. Down the row, three or four of the merchants have stood up and their tables been cleared; they are apparently having a drunken competition of scatter the silver pieces in whatever direction and tipping the maids generously.

To their left, on the higher rank, your noble cousins shake their heads, and you see someone bringing a zither up.

> What do? Merchants or nobles? Ask about qualities you are looking for: drunkenness, any moods, etc.

>>18627482
>>18627491

I'll take your votes in account. Let's see if there's other suggestions.

>>18627491
Reiterating my post here.

>>18627520
Nobles first, but don't neglect the merchants.

>>18627520

I take back my vote...

Silver is holy shit. Worth more than gold, I think.

>>18627520
Make an appearance with the nobles, we can't really neglect them ourself being a noble. Look for the ones who aren't as drunk as they put on and pay more attention than the rest. Those are the dangerous ones who we want to get in good with.

>>18627520
In addition to
>>18627491
I would like to add that we should look for the ones who are either not drunk, or who have had nothing to drink at all. Also watch for anyone who has been drinking almost nothing but seems hammered... yet is somehow in a position to hear the words of others clearly. That would be a man to watch out for as well.

>>18627567

Sorry, which vote was this?

>>18627520
What's a zither?

>>18627575
>>18627576

Something like this is going to require a good perception roll. Roll d100, as you take your leave of the Hillmen and walk slowly over to the nobles.

>>18627627

Wiki it. Well, it's more like a guqin I'm thinking about, but you get my drift.

rolled 81 = 81

>>18627641

rolled 21 = 21

>>18627641
Perception

rolled 66 = 66

>>18627641

>>18627649
Oh shit, /tg/ dice are hot tonight!

>>18627678
Yesterday they were on fire.

>>18627649

> Success! Don't jinx it!

You nod and smile at a few of the nobles who greet and salute you, and stand by as the man with a zither starts to play and sing. A piece of silver clatters across his table, but he pays no heed.

As you blend in, you glance around you, and see several men toasting. All of them down their drinks with each toast, then their servants refill them - except for one.

You notice that this man in a blue robe puts his cup down and laughs and talks like everyone else; but as his maid pours from a flask, he stretches out his hand and grabs her to stop her after only a few drops. While everyone is having a full drink, he is controlling himself as much as possible.

> What do?

>>18627729
Do we know who he is?

Go up, introduce ourself and play the part of the somewhat tipsy young man who just returned successfully. Don't let him on to the fact that we know about him controlling himself, at least not yet.

Get his name, rank, see what we can find about his political affiliations and so on. Hobnob some with the nobles, be as witty and charming as possible.

>>18627729

Do not call his bluff openly, but approach him and ask his name.

Or do we already recognise him?

>>18627729
Use the normal flow of the feast to carry ourselves over to them and listen in briefly to the conversation. Once we have an idea about what they are talking about we join them with smiles... and pull the same deal as that guy, not getting drunk ourselves. Let's find out who all of them are, but pay special attention to the non-drunk guy and any of the others with special reputations. We need to know what a lot of the nobles are like, some can be tools even if they aren't smart. Especially if they aren't smart. And that might be what this guy is thinking too.

>>18627787
>>18627769
>>18627763

You go to the few rearranged tables and, as propriety dictates, greet them. 'Third cousin. Fifth cousin. Fourth uncle, eighth uncle, eleventh cousin.' Each of them are viscounts or barons, lower nobility.

'Earl! Earl! Come and sit with us!' They laugh. 'We shall have to have you tell us your story later, you must have had a great time down south!'

'I hear the women of the forests are truly beautiful, though all weird,' one of the cousins says. The blue-robed cousin smiles at this. You glance at him and try to place him, but... you think he is... third uncle's son? But not the eldest son, that man is an all-out drunkard...

'What's weird?'

'Apparently a lot of them are blind!'

'Blind's good, blind girls have sensitive hands! There's this girl, you know, they bring her out to rub clients' backs over at the Red Phoenix...' more laughter.

'Common,' the blue-robed cousin mutters.

'May I share a drink with you, cousin?'

'It would be my honour, earl.' You reach for one cup, but he takes another one and passes it to you. 'I've drunk from that one, it would not be proper.'

> Blimey, here's quite the man.... what do?

>>18627191
>>18627168
>>18627073

Also, I have taken note of these, so do elaborate if you'd like to!

>>18627876
Toast him and drink, but instead of taking a draught tip the cup and only appear to be drinking. Complement the beverage afterward and put the cup down. See if he notices that the cup is at exactly the same level as when he handed it to you, and if he does give him a small smile and nod of the head.

See what his reaction is.

>>18627876
Thank him politely and very lightly drink from it. Tell him that they're blind but completely by choice, they blind themselves to enhance their other senses and act as scouts and guides that can operate just as well as night as during the day.

Converse with him, try to maintain a higher level of decorum than the ones surrounding us.

If he seems to notice that we're keeping our consumption to a low level and look more drunk than we are just smile conspiratorially at him.

Continue to try to remember exactly who he is and what his duties are.

>>18627939

Seconding this. If it's not impolite to do so, ask him his name.

>>18627970
>>18627962
>>18627939

You are poured a half-cup, and drink maybe five drops of it before putting it back on the table Peony has moved smoothly in front of you.

The blue-robed man glances at Peony, then at you. 'The earl has a good eye for servants.'

'You flatter me.' His own servant... is not his, but wears the Prince's livery. It's not uncommon for the later generations of previous Princes to become destitute; the fact that this is probably your family's fate does not escape you. Also, he's noticed that you haven't drunk.

You smile at him, and he nods, and you think you remember who he is. This is weird. He must have been descended from the Prince before last, but you heard most of them had scattered elsewhere, or had become destitute...

Meanwhile, your attempt at instilling some knowledge in the nobles falls on very deaf ears. They've gone on to talking about deaf girls being very loud, which is of course ironic and hilarious.

> What talk about?

>>18628052

Hmmm. Politics, perhaps? Is he a wanderer himself or something?

>>18628052
I find that a loyal and skilled staff is the single greatest investment a man can make.

Talk about the current political situation, see what his take on everything is.

Tell me (number)-Uncle, what brings you here and what leads you to socialize with these fellows?

This man has the potential so be a useful ally or he could throw numerous wrenches into our plans, let's keep on his good side and see what we can get from him.

Is it Easter dinner time or something - sudden drop off in posters here...

Anyway, yes, talk about politics. And ask him what he thinks about these... other nobles. And whether he's been travelling.

How about we verbally fence a bit before getting right down to the heart of the matter, eh? See how he measures up mentally.

>>18628200
>>18628173
>>18628145
>>18628092

You turn to look at Peony. You've always wondered how Baseg, given his looks, could manage a daughter who looks so pretty. Her mother must be truly lovely.

'Well, sir, what possessions can trump skilled and trustworthy subordinates in value? There is no better investment than this.'

He looks straight at you, then nods and smiles. 'You have your priorities straight, Earl, I can see that. By the way, my name is Lesin; I don't think we have met before.'

You have heard of this Lesin, actually, though indirectly. It is said he travelled east into barbarian lands, and then northwest into the lands of your kingdom's ancient rival, the Kingdom of Kaso. You ask him about his travels, and he says it is indeed him. 'The barbarians have interesting governments, mind you. Many of them rule by council, and some even have people choose their councils respectively. Of course, just that will not prevent corruption, so many cities and states remain in a bad state of governance...'

He frowns. 'Well. At least prerogatives are not usurped. But who can blame nobles for taking more power? Look at these men.' He gestures to your drunk cousins; you spot one of them reaching his hand straight into his cousin's maid's robes to feel her up. 'Disgusting.'

> What do/say?

>>18628200

Hmmm, like how?

Maybe we can provoke him into saying something. If we said that the king was weak, for example. Or something like that.

>>18628300
Let's not. He is not only stone sober, but we just met the guy. We need to do background investigation first.

How about we instead ask him how long he will be here, and to stop by in a day or two. We can show him around and would be interested in some of his tales. Also ask him how long he has been here and what he's been about. See what his story is. Then we can do some snooping and confirm before we meet him again, compare and contrast his stories with what he's been doing here.

>>18628280
Not exactly the classiest bunch I am forced to agree. I try to hold myself to higher standards.

Introduce some simple phrases from other languages into our speech, see if he catches on, try to find a foreign language we have in common.

To paraphrase the great poet Xiuying, All systems of governing will face the same problem, that of men. Men desire power, wealth and comforts and few are willing to relinquish it or look beyond their own interests.

After we talk some more of politics and men bid our farewells to him and ask if we could talk to him again at a later date and hear more of his travels.

>>18628300
lets not. What do we gain from that?

>>18628280
Seeing how we know many languages, I think we're also interested in other cultures somewhat. Ask him about his travels and sights he has seen, people he have met

>>18628371
Oh, maybe we can invite him hunting or for some light sparring. Work in a question about how good he is with a blade in there somewhere. Something like, "It seems that would make for an awfully unstable government, which leads to war. You must be quite skilled with a blade to have survived a journey through the region." Then follow up with, "I, myself, always have preferred a strong, intelligent leader of noble blood assisted by worthy men." See how he takes THAT.

>>18628280
Seems like this guy might end up a decent ally if we play our cards right. Least we could trust him not to waste money entrusted to him on liquor and women...

>>18628457
>See how he takes THAT.
Err, to elaborate, let's see if he thinks the strong leader we are talking about will be him, with the worthy retainer being us... or the other way around. That could give us a measure of his ambition and usefulness... he could also defer the question and not answer at all, or respond with something along the lines of a partnership, or who knows what else.

>>18628381
>>18628371
>>18628457
>>18628447

'Who can change the nature of man? There is but to restrain, suppress, and conquer it - that is the prerogative of the ruler.' You say this to go with the topic, but also as a subtle challenge - this viewpoint is thoroughly of one school of thought. As you guessed, he smiles and shakes his head.

'No, sir, I'm afraid I must disagree. The poems say: 'I have taken a stone from the mountains; I know it is jade, but how will it show? Only by chipping, polishing and grinding.' For a young man, sir, I'm afraid you have a rather pessimistic view of men.'

You both laugh, though it is drowned out by the laughter of other, more crass merrymakers. 'How long will you be staying in the Palace, Lesin? Or will you be staying here?'

'I am not staying in the Palace, sir. I stay in a room, near the northern waterfront in Margade.' You blink - the southern waterfront is where the rich men live; the northern waterfront, pretty as the view is, is where longshoremen and haulers work and live.

'I will visit you.'

'That is not worth the hair on the back of your hand, sir,' he salutes. 'Besides, it is decrepit and a mess.'

'No, I will come. We should... perhaps go for a hunt? Or at least a drink.'

He smiles. 'That would be lovely. That would indeed be lovely.'

> What do/say?

>>18628503
I think we ought to beg off for politeness's sake and go visit the merchants at this point. Make the full rounds as it were, though the merchants might be even more drunk than most of the nobles.

Make sure you remind us about visiting the guy in future threads, OP.

As for me, I'm off to bed. Fantastic quest as usual.

>>18628503
In a language we're pretty sure he would know bid him a fond farewell, thank him for a rare gift, that of intelligent conversation, and promise to lend him a book of foreign poetry that he may find interesting.

Leave the nobles and visit the merchants, go schmooz some, avoid drinking heavily and subtly pump them for information.

>>18628457

'So how are you with a sword, Lesin?'

'Oh... I can hardly parry a fly, sir.'

'I heard you have travelled the eastern lands.' You lean in a little, and start speaking in the eastern tongue. 'Surely, with their governments and their constant warfare, you must have had a lot of practice?'

He smiles and returns the favour of changing his language. 'A gentleman wears his sword by his side and trains himself well, but only so that he need not use it.'

'True, true. But if he needs use it, then...'

'Then he shall grip the four feet of iron in his hand, and fearlessly travel the lengths of the world. The land between ocean and mountains are his ambition, and the peace of the realm itself his goal.' He says this, calmly, then smiles. 'Or, at least, if one was in that position. Which I think you might be, sir, do you think so yourself?'

> Respond?

>>18628503
Bid him farewell and take note of his location. Tell him to feel free to have a good time but not overindulge, the parties at the Palace can be quite rowdy. Then add, "But then, I don't think you will have that particular problem anyway from your manner so far." Just to let him know we saw what he was doing there, for sure.

Then I would suggest we find some other nobles. We need to take account of possible tools, as well as the very powerful ones. We're high nobility but there are surely others here who are barely a step below us... in rank, at least. Yet also older and have made themselves forces to be reckoned with. I suggest we find some people like that. Then for the tools... well, I'm sure there are all manner of men here who want to use us. Perhaps we can find a few and endeavour to turn that about on them.

>>18628595
Well yeah respond before we head off to the merchants. Don't leave the guy hanging since we asked him another question.

>>18628595
My goal, at least in the most long term sense, is a peaceful realm where the injustices of power are restrained and the innocent are protected.

You are a most interesting man Lesin, it was my fondest pleasure to have met you and to have shared this conversation with you. We shall meet again soon but alas it would hardly be seemly for the Prince's son to spend the entire evening in the company of but one man.

Enjoy your evening and do not be fearful of overindulging at least a little bit.

>>18628657
>>18628555
>>18628589

> Thanks and good night to you!

You go to the nobles, but of course at this late stage of the feast you find yourself mostly attempting to talk to drunk men. You swear this is like singing to monkeys.

Roll d100, with -20, for success in this field. Note that even if you are successful, you will not be speaking much right now; a merchant with enough brains about him would probably hold off a meeting until a more sober time.

As for the nobles, well, you do see representatives of your two elder brothers and the noble houses here. The younger son of the Baron of Daudu is particularly noteworthy, a young man with quite the dandyish reputation - he is playing a lute with a girl draped on his legs, and another on his shoulders, which you have to admit is playing with quite a handicap.

There are also your uncles, but those who are not very drunk - like Lesin - have already begged their leave and gone off while you were talking to Lesin. You figure that, given your father's outburst, they might also have thought not to talk to you openly, for fear of associations.

> What do then? And also roll.

>>18628714

'Four feet of deadly iron in a man's hand, to guard the righteous of the land.'

'Well said. And well met, sir.' You bid farewell to him, and Peony notes your arranged meeting.

rolled 10 = 10

>>18628777

[and I'm off to sleep. Thanks for running this, OP]

>>18628595
"I think that would be a worthy goal for a man who finds himself in such a position. But, while a worthy goal is well and good, such a man would need more than just that. A single sharp blade, likewise, is hardly ever enough. A sword can only reach so far. I think it goes back to what we spoke of before... good investments, ones that will grow in time. At least, that is how I view a situation like that."

Best to take a tact like this with him, in my opinion. We want power and rule. But he seems to like the idea of stability and good government. Stability and good government would be good for our power, so our interests coincide, even if our final goals are not /exactly/ the same.

rolled 42 = 42

>>18628777

Rollan! Come on, give us merchants.

rolled 92 = 92

>>18628777
The merchants won't have that much for us right now then, let's give the story of us not being in any actual trouble, and being awesome instead, time to circulate before we start chatting up our uncles.

Spend some time with the younger nobles closer to our rank, the representatives of our brothers, and the son of the Baron of Daudu especially.

Have some more to drink with them but keep our wits about us, talk of wine, women and song, and also their current goals. Talk to our brother's representatives and see what they can tell us about what they're currently doing and how they are, ask under the pretense of familial love and obligation.

>>18628777
Damn, late posting.

Oh well. I suppose we should retire and get some rest. We're probably beat ourselves and we've made a contact. We need to do some investigations behind the scenes asking about which nobles we should approach. Especially any of our uncles. We should find out what their positions are like, how big they are in the grand game, stuff like that.

Also I'm thinking maybe we don't need to just investigate the nobles who have reputations as intelligent or whatever. If we're looking for a potential alliance via marriage we could investigate our uncles, especially the rich and powerful ones, and see what the potentials are there. They are likely to be the best prospects for a good, solid power-marriage that nets us the most. And it's entirely possible that a keen-minded daughter is present among our uncles' offspring considering how many of them there probably are. I'd prefer to not have a wastrel or idiot, after all. Sacrifices might be needed though, sadly.

>>18629051
We should at least take a mental inventory of our uncles and their personalities, plus any cousins we remember from them.

>>18628891

> Nice roll!

Despite their general drunkenness, or perhaps because of it, you manage to get along well with several of the merchants. You get to know two purveyors of fine silks, as well as the owner of a large pottery kiln, and several owners of riverboats. You regale them with tales from your southern tour, and they are interested in things as you might have expected.

'Four-eye grass! That is one precious herb!'

'If only we could get the trade rights through those routes!'

'One day the Kuira must be dredged for boats to go through!' Laughter.

Some of them promise they will come and pay you a visit soon, though of course you can't be sure of that when they are sober. But you accept graciously nonetheless.

>>18628875
>>18629051

You then go back to the younger nobles - many of the older ones are already on the ground - and ask them about the party.

'It's great, but I'm just wondering, where are the dancers?!'

You sigh. The Prince, out of a concern for 'frugality', had in fact disbanded many of the entertainment facilities in the Palace. You're not really sure what the money is then spent on, though - surely it's not the city's defences, or the pay of officials or gate-guests.

You talk to them about drinking, eating and fucking, and then out of the corner of your eye you see one of your cousins sidle up to Peony. She does not react, but then he puts his hand on her shoulder, moving slowly towards the opening of her robes.

> What do? You will go and rest after this - you are well and truly tired out.

>>18629128
Distract the cousin putting his moves on Peony for a moment so she can get away unnoticed.
Bring him a fresh drink, or something.

>>18629128
Hands off my servant if you please

>>18629128
Laugh uproariously at some joke, sidle over to the cousin by Peony, hand him a fresh drink and start telling a funny story, in the middle stop as if you remembered something, "Peony did you remember that Baseg asked you to do X and Y due to my recent return?" Return to telling the funny story and give Peony a good chance to escape.

He might be annoyed now but he won't remember in the morning and I'd rather not start a fight or disagreement by being direct about it.

>>18629128
Jokingly mention to him that it's impolite to sample another man's vintage without asking, then smile, excuse ourselves, and head off to our rooms, getting Peony out of there. It's not like she could reasonably say no to him or anything, we need to pay mind of our attendants. Outside, remind her that she would probably be wise to stay out of arm's reach of any of our relatives when we aren't around.

Then head back to our wing of the palace, dismiss Peony, have Linden run us a bath, take it, then retire to bed. Been a long day.

>>18629209
>>18629231
>>18629238

You quickly grab the cup on your table and refill it yourself, then go to the noble as he laughs. His hand is just about to move in when you grab it, and thrust the cup into it.

'Drink, cousin... drink! I toast you!'

'You... you have no cup, master!' You're not even sure he recognises you anymore, given how he addresses you.

You laugh. 'What I give, cousin, you must drink! What I do not give, please do not touch!'

You're not sure the warning stuck, but you bid them farewell after all. Then you bid your half-comatose father farewell, and retreat into the night. 'You needn't have done that, sir. But thank you very much.'

'Why needn't I?'

'Would you like to try doing what the lord did, sir?' You are halfway to your quarters by now, and it is very dark. She turns and flaps her robe a little.

> What... accept?

>>18629369

.... um, okay?

Have we been with Peony before, actually? She's... she sounds really competent.

>>18629369

> You'll be going to sleep after this, by the way. Next will be morning.

>>18629369
Assuming that is what you want, and know that I would not require it from you, I would be glad to oblige you. Care to join me for a bath first?

On the way to the bath wonder out loud how in hell we manage to get every female member of our staff to sleep with us. It's not lot I go out of our way to seduce anyone, am I just that charming, we must be doing something right, every single one of my female assistants has fallen for me.

>>18629369
"You are lovely Peony, and I would not be a man if I was uninterested. I must wonder why so suddenly, though. Had I not had an interest in your opinions on matters then you would not be my attendant."

>>18629503
Seconded.

>>18629462
I'm not really sure that's it, bro. We're pretty much high nobility here. This would be fairly normal.

I'm just wondering if maybe we should let up. I'm sure they're all lovely but, well, we'll probably find some absolutely stunning women to concubine-up eventually. Then we've already bedded 2/3 attendants. Plus a wife, eventually, who might or might not be pretty. No particular need to be plinking Peony too if she's just in it for duty or to get the master's eye.

>>18629503
>>18629420
>>18629462

> Hehe.

'Well, Peony... perhaps we could do that in the bath?'

'Try touching me first, sir.'

You blink, and then stretch your hand out, feeling the contours of her collarbone, the warm softness just below that. Then you reach, slowly, into her robe...

... and feel a metallic coldness which makes you withdraw quickly. It's just as well you were cautious and slow. Peony smiles and bows. 'Razor blades, sir.'

'A lord could easily kill you for that, Peony.'

'I would rely on you to protect me then, sir.'

With that, you return to your quarters, take a quick bath, and collapse on the bed. You consider calling Rose in to have a talk, but maybe if yyouuu wtt e lttll wlllppffff...

You open your eyes, and it is bright outside already. You sit up. It's good to be home, even if you're alone in bed.

> What do? You can ask people for suggestions, though now you only have access to your own servants.

>>18629634
>Razor blades

Holy shit she's like a Halloween apple.

>>18629634
Peony seems to have shit well in hand, though it's still best to avoid situations where she has to use those due to the political fallout that would occur.

Wake up, stretch, get a cup of coffee. Arrange a private meeting with our father later in the day to tell him what we know about what happened and perhaps even our suspicions that the Ahun family itself is involved.

After that get to our workshop and start tinkering, we need to make our little sister a little clockwork something, I'm leaning towards favorite animal.

>>18629634
That is trouble we don't need, normally. While I admire her gumption, I'd prefer to get her away from them before the razorblades sink into flesh nine out of ten times.

Still, I'm glad we don't need to worry about her in case there's a slip. The razor blades can stay, it won't be THAT bad. Just... better not let her around dad.

> A note on mobility within the palace:

Most of the buildings in the palace are accessible to you - these include the major buildings, as follows:

- Your apartments (quite bare at the moment)
- Your brother's apartments
- Palace Barracks
- Gate-guests' residences
- Officials' residences

Only places like your father's own apartments, the central meeting halls where official business is conducted, and of course your father's rear quarters where the Prince's women live, are either out of bounds or require explicit permission.

>>18629634

Is it just me, or does anyone else regret not taking Peony along for the trip?

Maybe she would have been of much use, and we could have spent some time with her like with Rose...

>>18629736
Do we own any land? I mean, we ARE an Earl... For that matter, what perquisites go with the title? We've gotten quite a bit of respect, but most of what we have seems to come from our father rather than our rank.

Finally, may I ask who will succeed our Father? I'd guess it'd be the next generation of royal children, but I'm curious.

>>18629634

Man, maybe we could go on a vacation like Linden mentioned last time. Why not, right?

>>18629634
Let's have a breakfast first. Who's on duty today? Let them know we're up and starving.

Next, I think we should probably get all suited up and see what Dad has to say to us today... if he has court today. Send one of the girls to check.

If not, we need to construct a list of the most powerful men around. Probably only top ten. There will probably only be around five or six actually powerful ones, but the ones below that will either be ambitious risers or decadent descenders. Either way, we might be able to use them.

Do let Peony know we prefer if she lets us handle it before it reaches razorblade point, however. And make sure the doctor had a look at Linden's nose.

>>18629788

somewhat feel this way to be honest, yes.

rose is a bit... too quiet.

>>18629788
I agree, she seems like the one we should take on travels from now on. Linden is awesome but she's more like the head attendant we leave to oversee everything while we are gone. Rose is probably better off staying in the palace too, listening quietly and unobtrusively and telling us anything she hears.

>>18629827
Mmmm. That's a good idea.

Call Linden in and ask her what good places are this time of year.

I think we need to spend some time with Rose, she was upset after all and we should probably reassure her.

>>18629828

You know there isn't court today, that would normally be announced to you beforehand, but you can always seek an audience if you wish. So far your dad hasn't asked you for an audience yet.

You can confirm that the evidence and prisoners, and the witnesses, have been taken. Baseg has told the Margade Constable that the eight girls are innocent peasants, and must not be tortured or otherwise harmed, so you can rest easy there.

>>18629794

Well, in terms of land, you do know you were granted 80 imu of land to the northwest of the city, near the foothills, when you reached fifteen years of age and your hair was tied for the first time. It's a bit like your 21st birthday gift.

Baseg has been in charge of it, but so far he has been content with letting the original farmers continue doing their own thing. You can always disagree, or go and inspect the land.

Linden is on duty, and breakfast is incoming but slow. 'Probably the kitchen people sleeping, since you haven't been around for days,' she grumbles. 'We need to reorganise this household, sir, is what I think.'

'I'll reorganise you away first, then.'

'Awwwww...' breakfast eventually comes, and is... not bad, you suppose. You ask about holiday spots. 'Well, if I had my druthers, sir, I'd of course recommend you go to the lake to vacation. Though it is still the fourth month, and if the weather goes bad it would be quite miserable...

> Hmmm. What do?

>>18629989
I think inspecting our lands would be a good idea. We can take our staff with us and make it half work half day-trip.

>>18629989
We can inspect our lands after this whole incident with our father is cleared up. We should probably look into acquiring more land. How much would it cost to buy, say, 120 imu?

We should also look into building a estate there and starting reliable tax collection.

And yah, make sure Rose is okay.

>>18629828

Also, as regards this one: it's a bit complex, since there are many definitions of power.

You can think of a few people you know who are already powerful in court, not in that they have the Prince's ear, but in that they have their own factions and supporters.

Foremost among these is an oddity - one of the Prince's cousins, a son of the previous Prince, who has retained his earldom by royal decree. Earl Gesadag is the only earl who is not the Prince's son, and as such is well respected. He also has an estate in the south, near the Omera river which flows into the East Lake, where it is known that he keeps a bunch of skilled retainers in his service.

There are also the top officials, such as the Chief Constable and Chief Magistrate, as well as the Accountant General, and the Marshal of Foot and Horse. These four men collectively form the Prince's 'cabinet', though you know they are of varying quality.

I will write more up on these people and post them up on a 1d4chan page in the coming days, certainly by next weekend. Or I'll just start a wiki of its own.

>>18629989
We'll inspect them after we've dealt with everything concerning this case, vacation might want to wait until we're assured decent weather.

We should talk to Rose make sure she's fine and start work on a gift for our little sister Martha.

>>18629989
Hmmm. The lake sounds good, actually. Tell her okay, but in a couple weeks. I'm interested in the household reorg she mentioned too. What did she have in mind, exactly, and why?

>>18629987
>>18630068
>>18630110

You finish breakfast and summon Rose, and she comes to you. 'Yes, sir?'

> What say?

> Also, so we have: inspect land, go on holiday, as possible options. Any other options?

>>18630199
Ask her what had her so upset back at the inn yesterday.

I would like to look into buying some land. We have an estate at the base of the mountains, but I wonder what it's like. We should inspect it some time in the future, and perhaps expand it if it's in a good area. If not, we sell it off and find a better area. I'd like a place near a river, ideally, with good farmland or a forest that can be cleared and made into such... but mountains for metals is good too.

If there's a lake on our estate then, well, we can go on vacation up there and inspect it WHILE going to the lake and lazing about.

Hmm. What sort of games and entertainments are there, OP? When dad took out the musicians, what have we been alleviating boredom with?

Some sports or something would be nice. Maybe we could trouble Kanjen to do some swordfighting, or train our archery skills.

>>18630199
Please sit down Rose, you've been acting quiet and different the past few days and I'm concerned and want to do what I can to help you with whatever problems you have.

Let her talk and offer our support and so on, if she doesn't respond at all or responds that she's perfectly fine, call her out on her bullshit, give our vague guesses for what's bothering her and see if there's anything we can do to help.

>>18630288

I somehow think we should just tell her to speak. We're her master, not her high-school counsellor.

Second the basic notion, though, that we should ask after her. But we're not here to help her; she's here to help us.

>>18630068
>>18630214

The price of land does depend, and its usually sold in parcels. You estimate 120 mu would probably cost some 2,800 taels or so up north, near the foothills; but near the Omera, where irrigation water is more plentiful, upwards of 3,200 taels would not be uncommon.

Mind you, as a noble, you could just politely tell the farmers to fuck off, or coerce them into selling you the land. Or you could do both, coerce by night and ask nicely by day. It's up to you, but it will naturally have consequences.

>>18630212
>>18630322
>>18630288

'I notice you've been brooding, Rose. What is the matter?'

'Sir?' she looks mildly surprised. 'It's... it's not worth worrying about, sir...'

'I'll be the judge of that. You will tell me.'

'I... I just hope you do not think any less of me, sir. For... lying with you.'

> What say?

>>18630223

Chess is a favourite, as is music playing. Archery and swordplay, and also riding, are good martial diversions. Chariot-racing exists, but nobles don't drive chariots, they bet on them and own them.

Polo exists as a game, and is quite popular, though often seen as a barbarian pursuit. Calligraphy, sculpture and painting are also favourites, as is tinkering, which you're good at. Many mechanical toys then become the bases for siege weapons and the like.

>>18630322
Eh, we should just tell her to speak about it and not beat around the bush. But at the same time, she's not just some slave either. Linden, Rose, and Peony form the core of our household at this point, our personal retainers who are trusted with the closest of information and most sensitive tasks and orders. We should be kind to them and understanding, and they should never be afraid to voice potential problems or opinions to us... in private where it won't undercut us, of course. At the same time we are also their Lord, of course, and we have the final say in all things.

But we shouldn't just treat them like slaves or even mere servants. They are our household, currently.

>>18630378
Why in the hell would I think less of you? You chose to lie with me and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I do care for you and respect you.

You are my trusted attendant, retainer and maid. I trust your judgement and the information you bring me about the local servants and the like.

None of those things will change based on us having or not having sex. Now cheer up.

>>18630378
"No, Rose. You have served me loyally and faithfully, and so long as that continues I will think nothing but highly of you. That we lie together does not diminish you in my eyes. Indeed, it is dangerous for one of my station to share themselves freely, but it is because of the trust I have in You, Linden, and Peony that I have taken you into my service. That the three of you know much of my daily life, and now both you and Linden my night-time life as well, is proof of my regard."

>>18630378

We asked, Rose, and you agreed. So we did it. There is no dishonour in either of our actions.

Simple as that. There is therefore nothing to look down on.

>>18630378
This being a /tg/ quest, she definitely needs a hug.

Alright I haven't caught up with the archives on this quest yet but I just saw this thread and what I noticed is 263 Replies and ZERO images.

You fuckers are serious and I love you.

>>18630567
>>18630562
>>18630506
>>18630403

'Rose.' You reach out to tilt her head upwards to look straight at you. 'I trusted you enough to make my advances, and you decided to agree. Before this trip, you never offered, and I never asked, and so nothing happened. But since we agreed to it, there is nothing dishonourable.'

'I still trust your actions and your advice. I did not trust it less before we slept together, and I will not trust it less now that we have.'

'If that is so, sir, then I thank you...' she nods. 'If... I beg you to hold off most of the time... would that be agreeable to you, sir?'

You raise an eyebrow at that request. Huh. So she doesn't normally want it?

> What do?

>>18630639
Uh, okay. That's a bit strange considering she seemed okay with it before, but whatever. Linden's awesome, and it's not like we'll lack for womenfolk if we want them. It's the "most of the time" that puzzles me.

>>18630639
I'm not going to force anything on you, anything I take must be freely given without coercion and anything I give I wish to be accepted only if desired.

Though I am slightly curious as to when you will want me not to hold off and why only then.

Do we earn any income from our lands? Seems odd that we've been subsisting on our Father's allowance when we own land.

>>18630639
"I have already told you before that there was no need to continue should you not wish to do so, and that has not changed. Linden attends me well enough in such things, if it is not something you desire then so be it."

>>18630749
>>18630709
>>18630685

'That is acceptable. As I said before, I will not impose in such matters. But if I may ask, why this reluctance?'

'I... my father taught me, sir, to be prudent and cautious with myself. I do not regret what was done, sir. But it would not be prudent to... frequently...'

'Fine. I understand.'

You dismiss her with a smile. You need to get working on that gift for Martha, actually. You haven't seen her since coming back...

>>18630721

Because the lands are still held by their original farmers, and the taxes paid are relatively low, the resulting income is just enough to pay for the upkeep of your apartments. Mind, it's not a small compound, and needs plenty of work.

Incidentally, Baseg has come back to you with the budget; considering different additional expenditures you've had to incur during the trip down south, the cost ran in at around 1,450 taels. You now have 1,100 taels left in your storage.

> What do?

>>18630864
Get to our workshop and make Martha her gift. We are going to be her favorite brother and we won't let anyone stand in our way.

After that we can talk about reorganizing the household and getting money flowing from our estate.

>>18630864

Let's make that gift! We're making a clockwork bird, are we, or is it a clockwork man?

I remember a mention before that Martha loved a clockwork man that fell over all the time.

>>18630864
Man, we need money. Without vast tracts of land that means we need merchants.

For now we make Martha... hmm. How about a clockwork bird?

We will work on that until lunch. Linden is serving us today, apparently, so when she brings in lunch have her stay and then take her down to the market with us when we go. She, very likely, knows more about these things than we do and I'd like to get an eye for the market trends right now. Maybe we can get her something pretty while we're there, even.

Oh, also see what her plans are for reorganizing the household on the way.

>>18630974
>>18630970
>>18630918
Holy fucking shit, hivemind.

>>18630970
>>18630974

Merchants... or maybe industry?

Man, if we ended up starting an industrial revolution, that would be hilarios.

But meanwhile, clockwork bird I think is best. Maybe with antlers like the Stonefolk carving.

>>18630974
Seconding this.

>>18631012
>Man, if we ended up starting an industrial revolution, that would be hilarios.
God, please no. That's how all these fucking /tg/ quests go.

How about we stay thematic for once.

>>18630974
>>18630970
>>18630918

You spend the time until lunch making sketches, first on a sandbox and then on rough paper, of your intended design. Nothing but the finest will do for Martha! This thing shall have antlers, and it shall have flapping wings, and it will have a moving beak...

> You can add more features if you'd like.
> Crafting rules are as follows: I will look at the design and estimate the number of successful crafting points it takes to complete the design. Every day you choose to work on a project, I need between 1 to 3 d100 rolls, depending on how long you want to work on it. Each successful roll is one point. Once the number of points is fulfilled, then the work is done. For now, this bird will take about 9 points to complete.

Soon it is lunchtime, and you go to the dining hall and sit down to wait for Linden. You do like it when she serves you lunch. Then you hear footsteps, and a tray is set gingerly on the table. Lovely!

No, wait. The lacquer patterns, and the tray's colour, are different. You look up and see it is another girl instead of Linden, a slender girl with rosy cheeks, clear pale skin and a small, cute mouth. 'Sir, I have been-'

'Wait, who are you?'

'My name is Cloudberry, sir. I am of the Earl Gesadag's household.' So. The senior earl has made a move. She opens the cover. 'He has ordered me to bring this food to you, sir... simmered minced venison and rabbit meat, duck with dried orange peel and ginger, and grass carp mince with garlic and yellow bean paste. Also this flask of liquor, sir.'

You wonder where Linden is now.

> Huh. What do?

>>18631243
Cloudberry, does a name like that indicate a certain nationality, oddball parents or does it just sound weird in translation?

Thank her for the meal, may as well dig in as it sounds good, ask what we have done to garner the good Earl's attention?

Make a mental note to visit Gedadag when we have a chance. Also what did he do that warranted getting an imperial decree to be an earl despite not being our immediate uncle?

Don't get drunk this early in the day though a few sips of the liquor to be polite wouldn't go amiss.

>>18631243

Damn, he does know our weakness!

Where is Linden? Have this Cloudberry swapped out!

>>18631347

Think it's a flower. Like Peony, Linden, and Rose. Maybe servants are named like that in the setting?

>>18631243
Is there anything particularly significant about a meal of this description? How does it compare to usual things? The Earl wouldn't make a move without putting a message of some kind in it and ordering his servant to observe our response and report it- based upon what the message is, we need to respond differently. Are the dishes unusual, expensive, more extravagant than usual, characteristic of certain factions/lands owned by certain people, anything? Is the liquor the kind that one would normally take with lunch or of an unusual vintage?

I suspect that this sort of thing means that we need to be focusing ourself upon politics- our actions have created effects that will keep moving whether we act more or not, and we need to keep up with them.

For a start, what kind on investigation of our claims can we expect the Chief Magistrate and Chief Constable to be undertaking, and can we monitor/influence that in any fashion? The spin of their reports to our father could massively influence our future- particularly if they decide to be anti-us and emphasize that we did, in fact, get the message early and choose to ignore it for a time in order to pursue the corrupt magistrate.

>>18631243
Ask about Linden, then consider the food. Return a complement according to how it is compared to our normal fare. Obviously superior, but how superior should effect the complement. Then ask Cloudberry to what we might owe such a benevolent gift from the Earl.

But yes, there is obviously a message here. I'm not sure what that message is other than that he has given us a gift, and therefore recognizes us as a potential ally -- or enemy.

>>18631412

> Oh yes, sorry, I should've elaborated.

This meal is, indeed, quite elaborate given it's a normal lunch. It's definitely banquet-level food, even for an earl like you. You don't know much about cooking, but certainly you know the venison has to be simmered for hours and hours; the elder Earl has been preparing this properly.

You make to pour the liquor, but Cloudberry quickly interrupts you, leaning close in. She sure is wearing more scent than usual for a servant girl serving lunch... or maybe that's what they do over at the elder Earl's? 'Please, sir, let me serve you.' She pours for you, then serves you the rice, and lays out the utensils. The liquor is... woah, this is top-quality yellow brew, the sort that you get served in a banquet - if you are a top-ranked guest, which you mostly are.

'I have to thank the Earl personally for this,' you say. 'Did he give a message with you?'

'His lordship says, he has seen all four sons of the Prince. The literate are literate; the martial are martial; and the pious are pious. But in you alone, sir, all three are combined. In this southern trip you have proven yourself righteous and brave, intelligent and calm in judgement. This is a fitting gift, then.' Her voice is lilting and pleasant, and soft-spoken. Man, this elder Earl is something...

> What react? I'll be sleeping soon, so if I drop, it'll be until next weekend - either Friday afternoon EST, or Saturday 11am EST. Meanwhile let's run out this thread.

>>18631243
Offer for her to join you as you hate eating alone

Make sure to eat only from diushes she has already eaten from.

This could very well be an attempt to curry favor with our father by offing his son who he was very visibly displeased with the previous night.

>>18631575
Please would you care for a seat, I would hate to be so rude as to eat alone in front of you.

Ask about the Earl, he seems to be an interesting fellow and probably has plots and schemes that involve us. Also ask what her personal position is, you seem to be far more than a normal serving girl.

>>18631587

Would that implication make us look rather low, though? Expecting dishonour from others is itself dishonourable...

>>18631587
I doubt that he'd be anywhere near that obvious about it. Given that he got the position of Earl despite the fact that someone of his birth should be a few levels lower speaks to his competence, he wouldn't kill us in such an obvious way. He's probably just very interested in us given that we're a new player in the game of politics and seem interesting.

>>18631587
>>18631641
I am not inclined to ask her to stay directly; just don't dismiss her. And while it seems likely that the Earl is offering us his serving girl as well as the meal, I'm not inclined to accept that portion of his gift; we have no particular lack of that sort of enjoyment in our life and I'm not really interested in getting a reputation as someone who is quick to accept women when they are offered- that can rapidly become a weakness. Asking a few more questions is good, though, as long as we phrase them carefully.

>>18631587
She's not going to be killing us; that's just ridiculous. People don't kill that casually in high circles of power, and the Earl wouldn't be so rash as to predict our father's reaction to such a murder as favorable.

>>18631575
"Give my warm regards to the Earl, and tell him that his words and gift do me an honor I can scarce return except in person. It has long been said that the Earl is a generous, wise, and honorable man and I now know I have been sadly diminished by not sharing his company sooner. Perhaps in three day's time?"

>>18631732
>Her killing us
>Not the meal being poisoned and the one responsible a spy who snuck in in the guise of a serving girl being unfortunately killed during capture

We specifically talked about becoming a patron of the arts in order to have our own army of potential assassins, are you trying to say someone else wouldn't do the same?

>>18631641

She refuses to take a seat. 'Sir, I am but a servant girl, not a guest.'

> You can force her if you want to, though.

You ask her about her position, and she smiles, moving her sleeve to cover her mouth. 'I... am the personal attendant to the elder Earl's second son, sir.'

You think that over, and something clicks. The elder Earl likes to defend nobility. 'What is your family, then?'

'I... I am from the House Agam, sir, though a branch that has... fallen off the tree.'

A scion of one of the Four Earls!

> What do/say? If you're eating, this food is *seriously* delicious, by the way.

Don't make her taste the food, damn. Our father, asshole though he is, is a damn powerful asshole with a raging temper. If his son were killed immediately after putting down a tax collection scam and people fleecing him of money then he wouldn't rest until heads rolled. Period. I'm damn sure of that.

And the Earl is not stupid enough to chance one of those heads being his.

>>18631789
No, I'm saying that it would be fucking ridiculous for the proposed individual to order us assassinated for the proposed reason.

>>18631803
Don't force her to sit, eat the food it is delicious. Ask about the elder Earl, ask for her view of him rather than the side he shows to other nobles.

Yes this information will get back to him but we want him to know that we don't blinding follow standard noble opinion and that we're good to people regardless of class.

>>18631803
Munch away, there's no way we've merited poison after just that one little deed. Especially from a big hitter like him.

I'm not sure what to say to the girl. Perhaps we can tell her that we dislike eating in silence, and ask her to tell us the tale of how she entered the Earl's service.

> Not the meal being poisoned and the one responsible a spy who snuck in in the guise of a serving girl being unfortunately killed during capture

... I admit to not knowing what this sentence is saying. I'm confused.

>>18631708
>>18631732
>>18631764

> Clarification: he is supposed to be an Earl, it's his due rank as the previous Prince's son. Nonetheless, the fact that he's still staying in the Palace, with a powerful group of officials and a large estate, while most of his brothers are the pissants you saw at the banquet yesterday, drinking gambling and feeling up the maids, still says a lot about his ability.

Cloudberry titters again. 'I will give your invitation to the Prince, and give you his reply, post-haste.'

'Don't do it post-haste. Stay a while.' You say that ambiguously, as a lure, and you see her smile coyly. Right. So she's probably part of the package...

> What ask? If you want to ask questions?

>>18631960
Ask about her personal opinion of the Earl, how she entered his service and other similar questions. How many languages does he speak, are there any arts that he is a patron of, anything I should know about him before I come to meet him.

She's nice and all but rule 4 of surviving life in a royal palace, don't try to sleep with people whose loyalties are obviously not towards you.

>>18631960
We don't want to sleep with her- but we do want her to stay for a while, if only because the longer we keep her here the greater the effort that would be involved in distracting our own servants, who should be frequently in our general vicinity and actively preventing other nobles' servants from pre-empting their roles. And if they show up and see Cloudberry here, it'll be interesting to see what they say.

So a long, lingering meal is in order. While that happens, we can idly ask Cloudberry about whatever pleases us- how she came into the service of the elder Earl's son is a good starting point.

>>18631960
Part of the package or not, I don't think bedding her is the correct move here. However... we should complement her on her beauty and charm, and say that we see she is indeed descended from nobility in her bearing and manner.

Basically, when she reports that will let him know we know why she was there, and thought she was exquisite, but we had the self-control to refrain.

>>18632022

You ask her about her opinion of the Earl and his two sons.

'The elder Earl is a kindly man, and quiet. But sometimes I do think he can be really fearsome. If he is angry, he does not yell and holler-'

'Not like my father.'

'That's not what I mean, sir.'

'I know, go on.'

'His lordship... is the sort who burns quietly. But burns hot. And if he is happy, truly happy, you will know it.'

'What about his sons? Naseg and Malak.'

She pauses, and looks down a little. 'They are... good men.'

'They are not good men, then.'

'They are, sir.' You can leave it at that, or press on.

As for how she entered service, well - she is of noble birth, but her family was struggling financially and wished to sell her in order to keep their younger son. The elder Earl thought she would grow up to be very pretty indeed, so he bought her.

Well, potential sure was fulfilled. That does raise the question of whether she was bought to be a servant or a concubine or wife, though. As you know, attendants are not of contemptible birth; but a scion of a house as noble as Agam ought not to be furnishing servants, and the elder Earl of all people should know that.

> What more ask? One more round of questions and I'm off to bed.

>>18632208

... I see it's autosaging, so I'll go to bed now I guess. See you all next weekend for more politicking.

> Worldbuilding will be done over this week, links will be posted.

rolled 79 = 79

>>18632208
Ask her what is she good at. Might as well find out what she can do.

>>18632208
Ask what skills she possesses, how much responsibility is assigned to her and so on.

>>18632337

'So... what have you been trained in? What are you adept at?'

She blushes, and it makes the fairness of her skin even more visible. Compared to her even Peony, who is the palest of your three, seems a bit swarthy. 'I... have some little skill in the zither and the harp, sir, and I know how to dance. I do love to play cards and dominoes, but I tend to lose a lot.' She titters. 'Why do you ask, sir?'

>>18632208
I think that, perhaps, she is the message. He owns her, birth station or not. Something to think on.

I think we should thank her and escort her out ourselves after we finish. Also, the complements about her beauty, manner, and all that stuff too so that the Earl knows that while we do love the ladies, especially beautiful ones like her, we don't just snap up everything that gets thrown at us.

How about we tell her we enjoyed the conversation and would like to speak with her again some time in the future, though. Perhaps when we visit the Earl. She seems nice enough now, I'd like to see her demeanor in the Earl's household and how it differs from currently though. That could tell us a lot.

>>18632357
>>18632410

You finish the lunch as she talks about her responsibilities - she's basically Peony to the Earl's second son. Every now and then, though, she does slip through references about the man that make him seem a bit unsavoury. 'Wash his clothes, clean up after him'? 'Sometimes keep him in check when things go poorly'?

Someone sounds like a dick, you think. But quickly she recovers and starts clearing up your lunch. For a moment, as you try to help her, your hands grip around hers on the liquor flask. She does not resist, but you remember yourself and quickly withdraw.

'It is the Earl's fortune to have a servant as beautiful, and as cultured, as you,' you say, as she leaves. 'Please tell the Earl of my request for an audience.'

'I will, sir.' She bows and leaves, and once she's out the door Linden and Peony come in together. Linden's face looks like she's been chewing on a lemon all morning; Peony is calm and mildly smiling, as usual, as she hands you a letter.

'Sir, from your old friend, the heir of House Tali.'

Tali! Good old Sagota! You remember studying with him by day, picking chestnuts and pinecones from the forest, playing at hunting and war, and going to peek at maidens bathing at night in the palace. What could this be?

> And with that, let's end for today. Next session should be on Friday, or Saturday. Have a good week!

>>18632401
"When I visit the Earl, or some time when we perchance meet again, perhaps we might play a round. I love games of strategy after all. Indeed, they tend to mirror life in some ways. Always carefully positioning one's pieces toward the desired end."

That won't be lost on the Earl. We wanna be a player, baby! Also, why not try to make friends with her at the same time? Maybe we'll see her some other time, maybe not. But if we do, might as well leave a decent impression.

I think during our coming trip we should take up archery. It seems highly useful.