>>2968771
>>[Try to cut him off]

but keep some men following him


nice to see you back

>>2968771
>[Try to cut him off]

The other choices could easily result in his injury or death.

>>2968771
>[Try to cut him off]

>>2968771
>[Try to cut him off]

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>>2968801
>>2968823
>>2968831
>>2968856

>[Try to cut him off]

>Raymond, Donat, follow me!

Veering off of the road into the forest as you made hast cutting through leaves and jumping over branches. They surely thought of you as some sort of a crazy countess as you only got faster when having your horse dodge the trees coming at you. Although it got increasingly difficult to keep up the same speed as on the road, you knew that this was still faster than riding all the way around the forest to reach the border. The forest itself wasn't dangerous, as the monsters and Orcs that once inhabited this place was long dead after adventurers exterminated them a few centuries ago. Now the occasional branch or stream was the only thing which could trip up your horse. If your steed did trip on such things then the fall would have broken at least one of your legs.

Once, outside of the forest both the knights that followed after you came upon both your flanks to block off the road to prevent Berbon from going any further. Waiting for the chase to reach you it was a good 20 seconds before Donat broke the silence.

>D: My Lady, may I ask what will be done of this vile snake once he is apprehended?
>R: Naturally, he should be thrown in a dungeon cell!
>Well, that isn't exactly befitting of a lord especially since he wasn't captured in battle. The king would disapprove of such an action. Not to mention I don't have concrete proof of such a deed yet.
>D: House arrest is always an option my Lady.
>Yes...
>R: Pardon my Lyonese but fuck that! This dishonorable swine should've been executed for all I care but I know that's not possible.
>I mean he isn't exactly known for his martial abilities, he couldn't fight off the guards to escape any place no matter how much he wished to.

>[Dungeon cell it is!]
>[House arrest it is]

>>2969139
>[House arrest it is]
Oh, so sad that the Lord took his own life by poison, unable to bear the shame of having his plot even hinted at.

>>2969139
>[Dungeon cell it is!]

>>2969139
>>[House arrest it is]

He'll probably attemp something to escape but we'll be ready, traps, hidden and disguised soldiers, silver everywhere and the house rigger to blow up in case it looks like he will succeed

>>2969139
>>[Dungeon cell it is!]

>>2969257
Change to house arrest

>>2969139
>>[Dungeon cell it is!]

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>>2969416
>>2969288
>>2969225

>[House arrest it is]

As much as you would love to have the bastard killed, there was the unspoken rule of never killing a noble unless it was for treason. Opting for a cushy house arrest should be enough to keep you Voi IV and your father happy enough to not punish you for such an act. Preparing for the encounter by drawing your pistol as your husband and Donet ready their spears, you could hear the entire chase thundering to a halt right in front of you.

>Give up now my lord, there is nowhere for you to run.
>B: Aye, but you can't do anything to me! I'm unjustly kept here against my will!

Firing your weapon to crush the skull of his horse, Berbon's steed collapsed head first into the dirt road. The man tried as fast as possible to get off his dead horse but the body slowly rolled to trap his foot under.

>I will be accepting your surrender now, Lord Berbon.
>B: Fucking Gods, fine. I yield. But nothing good will come of this so I swear.

As the guards lifted the horse to get Berbon out, you contemplated how best to approach getting information out of this dog.

>[Interrogation]
>[Torture]

>>2972357
>[Interrogation]
And torture of the type that leaves no scars or bruises.

>>2972357
>[Torture]


I imagine there is no due process and a confession gotten through torture is just as good as a legitimate one right?

>>2972357
>[Interrogation]

Search everything in the carriage and the house to find some incriminating evidence

>>2972403
Maybe if he was a peasant, or our torturers were members of the Inquisition.

But he’s a noble, and one that not our father and the King don’t want to see harmed.

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>>2972373
>>2972701

>[Interrogation]

>I will have this dog be questioned immediately back in my manor!
>D: At once my Lady.
>And Raymond,
>R: Òc?
>I want you to bring me solid physical evidence of his deed from anywhere he visited and bring the witch with you while you're at it.
>R: You know how I feel around mages...
>Don't worry, I've known her for years. She's mostly trustworthy.

One of the guards tied up his hands and feet then threw him into the wagon before the rest of the group departed or went their separate ways. There were silver weapons all around the place just in case of another Werewolf attack if one of them tried to free Berbon but the entire time of transferring him to his room was thankful, uneventful. The door to his room was locked as he paced nervously back and forth before you as you sat on a chair next to the desk with two guards flanking you. The windows had iron bars and the door was lock from the outside as this place was specifically made to house hostages in the rare case of holding a noble hostage captured on the battlefield. Both your husband and Catarina came back to give plenty of documentation of secretive purchases of items to be used for your assassination or turning your sister lame. Even records of letters between unknown recipients with specific orders telling him what to do. There was more to this than what you had originally found out.

>So,
>B: So,
>We both know why you would want to have me dead.
>B: You don't know a thing and I've done nothing wrong!
>These parchments may prove otherwise as I've already made plenty of copies of these already. It would be a real shame if they were to be leaked in His Majesty's court and find yourself boiling in much more trouble than you already are.
>B: You wouldn't...
>Oh, I would, believe me, I would. That would justify me being able to flog you as much as I want until somebody appeals for your release or pays a ransom.
>B: There are things larger than myself that would have me killed for letting slip out a single word of my true intention. Thus, do your worst, it is preferable to death.

>[Let up]
>[Pressure him]

>>2973607
>[Pressure him]
>Alright. But just because you kept quiet, doesn't mean your masters know that. Especially when I say how cooperative you've been, how really, it's not your fault and you were just being coerced. I'm sure your masters would believe in your integrity over my baseless lies, right?

>>2973607
>>[Pressure him]

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>>2973654
>>2973689

>[Pressure him]

>Alright. But just because you kept quiet, doesn't mean your masters know that. Especially when I say how cooperative you've been, how really, it's not your fault and you were just being coerced. I'm sure your masters would believe in your integrity over my baseless lies, right?
>B: Bah! Such bluffs won't work on me. Now, take your idle threats and leave me be!
>It appears you left me no choice.

Nodding to the guard on your left, he quickly pinned Lord Berbon to the bed while the other guard pinched the noble's nose shut to prevent him from breathing. The sudden panic from him forced him to open his mouth to take in air to his lungs as the guard on the right poured an elixir down at the same time. You prayed that the potion should do the trick to lower his inhibitions and let slip enough information for you to work with.

>B: W-what did you just do?
>Something to help you cooperate with us for a time.
>B: Y-you fucking bitch!
>Working already I see...
>B: Wait, no! I take that back!
>Where were we? Ah, yes! These things that are larger than yourself, tell me what has gotten you so frightened by them. Maybe I can shelter you from them.
>B: They... Meaird! I won't break!
>Stab him.

The guard on your left took out a small knife to stab Berbon on the thigh creating a small cut as the other guard held him down. As the lord was struggling trying to cover his cut, you sprinkled a bit of salt to make the pain much more severe. His scream could be heard down the hallway.

>See this healing potion on the desk with me? It would be a real shame if I were to knock it down and spill it all over the floor before I have a chance to give it to you. If only you could say something to convince me otherwise.
>B: F-fine, you whore. I'll stop resisting but do you really want to uncover the truth and paint yourself as a bigger target?
>I can handle it.
https://youtu.be/kKrqZ1d7Utg
>B: Those that pull my string wants you dead so that I can take your land for myself.
>Why?
>B: They're known as the Order of Venaros, more or less a cult dedicated to the Elven goddess of the savage hunt.
>Other than being infidels, how is it any different than worshipping Votin or Donar?
>B: These people have their hands in every pot of the known world. From the military to the courts and banks. There is nothing left for them to infiltrate into.
But why my county specifically?
>B: They wanted to deal with you before you became a problem and with me ruling the county in your sister's place, they know that nothing will interfere with their operations in this county.
>What are these operations you speak of?
>B: First, they want to establish a dig-site on the south side of the temple near the ancient concrete road. Then, something more sinister involving live prey.
>Gods...
>B: There are some ancient Imperial Elven artifacts they don't want non-members touching. Supposedly, powerful things which can drive any mortal insane.
>Fucking Helheim, just my luck.

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>>2973851

You knew little to nothing about the Elven pantheon and much less about the cults dedicated to them. Yet time could be wasted if you didn't act fast enough to reach this dig-site before the Order does.

>[Hit the Dirt] Go digging...
>[Hit the Books] Go reading...

>>2973859
>>[Hit the Books] Go reading...
Just because we're a vampire doesn't make us immune to mind-control by Elven goddesses and their artifact.

>>2973859
>>[Hit the Books] Go reading...

>>2973859
>>[Hit the Dirt] Go digging...

>>2973859
>>[Hit the Books] Go reading..

>>2973859
>>[Hit the Books] Go reading..

They could have talked directly to us, it's not like we are some kind of zealot, we just took and sell a bunch of temple land

>>2974579
To be fair, we didn't take and sell temple land until after the attempt on our life when we needed a lot of money very quickly to buy up silver weapons.
So there's that.

>>2974583
Yeah, but our first reaction was, fuck the church, give me monies. If they made a sensible case we would have negotiated I imagine. Now its a little late for that I guess.

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>>2973871
>>2973892
>>2974522
>>2974579

>[Hit the Books]

>Why couldn't they have asked me to allow them to dig in the first place?
>B: Because you could have refused, you might've not allowed them to hunt your subjects, and didn't want you to know why they were digging in the first place at all. These fanatics are willing and able to go to the extremes to cover up any trace of their existence.
>Bah!

Leaving him with his healing potion, you make your way to find Gwenith, your Elven treasurer. Once, you've found her, you both make your way to the library to find more information.

>G: I might be from the reservations but the Venaros I worship isn't the same as the one during the Antiquity Age.
>Yes but you can still explain to me what she is better than what I know from childhood.
>G: Let me think... Her symbol is the stag, specifically the antlers. She is known to be the patron god of hunters and hates boredom and Dwarves. But non-Elves worshipping her is just weird truthfully.
>You tell me.

You both walked pass the magical, mathematical, and natural studies sections of the room to arrive at the historical section. From there you first pass the Archaic Age which had almost no books on the shelves then arrived at the Antiquity section which had a lot more books. Making your way through the titles until something caught your sight, a book titled "Religio Alfis", translating from Alt Alf as "Elven Cult". Opening to the chapter on Venaros, all you found were papes cut out from the book as if somebody removed the parchments with shears.

>Fucking Hel!

That made you put back down the down the book then search for another one. You end up stumbling on "The Histories" which chronicles the rise of the Elven Empire and fall of the Elven Polis League. There was a small footnote explaining the religious situation within their society expecting the reader to already know the basics.

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>>2974721
>Venaros continues the tradition of appearing with horns on her head like her mother, Hora. Most of the tales of the smiling god say that when she climbed out of the Chaos of existence, she had black hair, yellow eyes, and was naked. After willing all the creatures of the realm into existence, the first thing she did was conjure a javelin, the second thing she did was find a great black eagle then killed it. Using the feathers, she fashioned herself a vest and short skirt to warm herself. While making the clothing, Hora appeared before her to ask that if there was any creature which Venaros would spare. "None!" She answered before throwing another spear to kill an Elf a mile away, "Not even my favorite ones". Hora folded her arms before asking, "Not even the majestic winter stag?" Venaros replied by marching off to the far north after adjusting the clothing on her to fit snuggly. Once she arrived in the frozen north in the land of ice, fire, and snow, she lowered her spear when approaching the winter stag. The animal was curious and stood his ground while the god came closer. Once 15 steps from the stag, Venaros immediately threw her weapon to catch the snow white creature in the neck. As he was bleeding out, the god ripped the antlers from his head to crown herself as queen of the hunt. In this process, she gained face markings like a wildcat.

She was some sort of cruel huntress that relished in the terror from her prey and showed no favor in sparing anything if it means she found excitement in it. You couldn't think of any reason why anybody would worship such a being much less imagine millions of Elves at the apex of the empire praying to her. It seems the god was dangerous to both her enemies and her cultists.

>What! [Go Digging]
>What? [Keep Reasearching]

>>2974722
>What? [Keep Reasearching]

>>2974722
>What? [Keep Reasearching

Knowledge is power, we have to know what we are dealing with, these humans will probably find themselves dead if they try to reach a badass godess that doesn't even spare elves, we better know everything we can before going after them.

While we research we should send scouts to keep an eye around the digsite in case the cultists start looking for something

>>2974722
>>What? [Keep Reasearching]

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>>2974731
>>2974764
>>2974776

>What? [Keep Reasearching]

https://youtu.be/bO6dFjWIhao

Your eyes never leaving the pages as you kept skimming the pages while telling Gwenith to go tell Raymond to send some scouts to keep an eye on the local temple. As the Vesterling Elf hurried off to tell the order, your hungry eyes devoured the words before you.

>To all but the most depraved, insane, or power-hungry Elves, the ancient Elven Pantheon is a terrifying thing to behold for almost anybody. Their very religion state that they were birthed from the chaos between the planes of existence. At least in their version of the origin myth, Elves were first made in their image because the goddess of the hunt grew bored hunting unintelligent creatures and wanted better prey. The goddess of war exterminated a Dwarven kingdom because she found it annoying that they kept cheating in a tournament. The goddess of creation flooded a land full of plains because she found it amusing the way Gnomes panic. These are horrifying powerful entities which the world has no real way of stopping them until they decided not to help the crumbling Elven Empire. To understand them is like an ant trying to understand why a mortal would crush them underneath a foot. It could be as simple as random chance or to secure the domain they inhabit, none can be certain. The few who have claimed to gaze the gods in their full natural form have said they appeared to be a different variation of Elves. Once either seeing or understanding them in all their horrible glory people often go mad with hallucinations and whispers seeping in weird thoughts, warnings, and demands. Supposedly, it was Elven Gods who were responsible for the abominations and other monsters roaming the world as a part of their infinitely complex plan. With most of their original cults converting or dying off after the fall of the Elven Empire, the gods now lie dormant due to the lack of worship. Yet even the dream of gods can touch reality.

It could've been hours but you could no longer tell the time passing throughout the day until it was sunset. The night grew dark and you went to eat dinner as you were sure to not leave your manor hungry. Raymond came back with news of nothing out of normalcy as you drank down cattle's blood in your bedroom in private with him. You both discussed the next step in countering the order's next move. He suggested that since they must've known Berbon was captured, they would send an all-out assault to either find him or kill Berbon but definitely kill you. There was also the original plan you proposed to intercept the cult before they could start anything in your county.

>[Dig in]
>[Interception]

>>2974984
>[Interception]
They won't be expecting us to strike first.

>>2974984
>[Interception]

>>2974984
>[Interception]

ancient elven gods are the settings elderich horrors, nice.
Do modern elves that live in those protectorates worship kinder, newer gods?
And the Skani, that passed through the empire and the other invasions mostly independent, do they believe in similar gods or their pantheon is different?

>>2975100
That could be winner' bias, where historians and official texts try to pain those that lost as monsters and beyond saving. Those things happened a long time ago and the myths and legends could be twisted.
>inb4 they wake up the godess and she is a kind hearted mother figure that provides meat for her worshipers and only killed in self defence lol

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>>2975100
The whole tradition of blood magic and living sacrifices from the time of the empire has faded from the Vesterling Elf religion. Although they will still claim to be worshipping the very same gods despite not acting like the cults of old. As for the Skanii, these Elves migrated into the continent from the north east and have a religion that lack gods. It is something more akin to natural spirits that guard, trap, or work elements and places around the world. As the only Elven culture to develop wholly independent from the Elven Empire, they lack the superiority complex developed by the Vesterlings and Osterlings.

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>>2975016
>>2975062
>>2975100

>[Interception]

>Raymond, we need to hit them back where they least expected. We can't be cowering here in my manor waiting for them to attack.
>R: But I've seen the effectiveness of well-entrenched defenses first-hand.
>Yet we have the element of surprise with us this time, it won't be another Strosburi.
>R: We'll see...

His tone was obviously dark with the hint of life-threatening danger for you. Gathering what guards and knights that you can muster, you set out to envelop and hit the potential dig-site from 3 sides. Raymond would lead the northern side while Catarina moves in from the south as you personally lead the western force. The night was dark as the clouds hid the mood to cover your troops inching in closer to the group of people gathered at the place. They had black hoods to cover their faces but one of them had a tail, surely a Draken but they were a tiny minority in Occitonia so the Draken must have been from the eastern realms. Although there were only a few in number, there were also knights of Ordo Belis amongst their rank keeping watch to catch any would-be intruders like yourself. Yet this was more so to keep any wondering peasants back not an actual armed force like what you have. You really didn't need more people breathing down your neck for fighting holy paladins and knights but it can't be helped if they are in league with the order.

You could see both Catarina and Raymond moving through the plants and crops to ready themselves to attack the group planning out where and when to dig certain parts of the plot of land. You could also hear who would need to die to cover their tracks and how many sacrifices it would take to summon a specific demon. There was also talk of the other dig-sites in Onterland and Rheenland with the slow progress to take control from the previous owners. These people sounded utterly bloodthirsty or insane with the serious and calm voices that calculated how best to torture and kill those they targeted within Occitonia, the DEH, and Mustallyon.

>[Wave off the Attack]
>[Begin the Attack]

>>2976264
>Begin the Attack]

>>2976264
>>[Begin the Attack]

>>2976264
>>[Begin the Attack]
Hopefully murdering cultists doesn't constitute a sacrifice.

>>2976264
>>[Begin the Attack]

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>>2976273
>>2976347
>>2976423
>>2976736

>[Begin the Attack]

With a high-pitch whistle, you told the rest of your forces to storm the dig-site. Raymond came running in to knock out a knight with a shield then kicked another off as he was careful not to kill the Ordo Belis troops in the area. The witch, on the other hand, wasn't as nice. She quickly set fire to most of those standing on guard as your troops ran in to try to apprehend the cultists. The Draken reacted fast by bringing his ax to smash a knight's head in as the Human woman yelped than tried to flee from the fight. There was also an Elf that used a staff to conjure a hexagram on the ground using red light lines. That was interrupted when a crossbow bolt landed in the warlock's shoulder but the Elf carried on after recovering from a stagger back. With the help of the Draken cultist, they dragged a corpse to the center of the unholy shape as the Ordo Belis troops formed a protective circular schiltron to stop any bolts from hitting them. The corpse was then what looks to be devoured by the warlock as the lights on the ground intensify. Soon a portal was being opened on the ground in the middle of the shape and a being stepped out.

>Warlock: I summon thee, child of Venaros, to hunt and devour my enemies in the glory of our mother.

The demon sniffed the air a bit before turning to rip out then eat the neck of the Draken before spitting it back out like it was disgusted by the flavor. It jumped over the formation of knights before it began slicing and eating your troops with ease. It seems your mundane weapons had little to no effect on the demon so far.

>What the Hel is that thing!?

>[Use Silver weapons!]
>[Use Magic!]

>>2977024
>>[Use Silver weapons!]

>>2977024
>>[Use Silver weapons!]

>>2977024
>[Use Silver weapons!]

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>>2977052
>>2977029
>>2977072

>[Use Silver Weapons]

https://youtu.be/YNWSDvDqm9g

>Fucking Gods! Use the silver bombs! Use silver!

In the chaos of the fighting between your troops, the demon, and the Order knights, those that had silver weapons quickly switched to use them against the unnatural terror. The horned monster tore open plenty of guards before a knight threw a bomb that exploded to silver splinters that send the thing staggering back. In a rage, it charged at the guard while crushing an Order knight in its path to impale its target. Waving over the crossbowmen, you ordered them to line up then shoot silver bolts at the demon. Most of the bolt did hit their mark to have the thing limp around at you to prepare another charge. That was interrupted when Raymond came from behind to slice it across the back, the demon responded by grabbing his leg then flinging him away from the battle as you lost sight of him. The entire thing was done effortlessly as if your husband was nothing more than an annoyance to it. The lightning bolts that hit it in the face was a much more serious threat, however. You could see Catarina walking forward casting more terrifying electricity at the monster. It kept dodging the magical attacks as it learned fast while closing in with the witch. But the fight between the mage and monster was enough of a distraction to slip away unseen if you wanted to. You worried about Raymond but you weren't sure if the troops were going to help the witch if you left them to their own devices.

>[Go find Raymond]
>[Organize a counterattack]

>>2977217
>>[Organize a counterattack]

>>2977217
>[Organize a counterattack]

>>2977217
>>[Organize a counterattack]

OH goods! Raymond!
damn, we have to finish this beast or else we are all doomed, we have to hope he is ok.

>>2977217
>>[Organize a counterattack]

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>>2977242
>>2977248
>>2977255
>>2977334

>[Organize a counterattack]

>Anar! Anar! Don't just stand there like useless sows, halberdiers! Get yourselves in a position to charge at the demon, you! Crossbowmen ready to fire another volley on my command!

You waited until the monster was readying for another attack at your witch then ordered the bolts to send flying to interrupt the charge. Most of the shots did hit their mark as the monster was now turning its attention toward where you were standing to prepare to impale you now. the was thankfully stopped by the halberdiers forming a line of spikes to prevent it from simply charging at you as the weapons were a great way to stop the demon in its tracks. Both the monster and the halberdiers kept some distance from each other as Caterina sent a fireball to set the demon on fire. It was the type of magic to totally envelop the target and prevent anything from putting out the fire as apparently even diving into a river didn't stop the burning. The demon's fur was set ablaze and the beast rolled on the ground trying to put it out to no avail. Eventually, it stopped moving as it laid dead on the ground while the Ordo Belis knights threw down their arms and surrendered.

>Ale! Ale! Get moving, we don't have all night to round you up.

The knights were all gathered in one spot near the temple while you looked for Raymond. You found him being tended to by Caterina as his leg was bent backward making you want to vomit. The witch assured you that he should be fine but things, like running or walking normally, might not be an option for him anymore despite the healing magic she is using on him. the news made you grind your teeth in frustration but there was still work to be done even with your victory. The feeling of just going home to curl up in bed would have to wait.

>[Interview the knights]
>[Check on the cultists]

>>2978820
>>[Check on the cultists]

>>2978820
>>[Check on the cultists]

>>2978820
>[Check on the cultists]
No expense shall be spared in healing Raymond.

>>2978820
>[Check on the cultists]

>>2979054
Agreed, speacially now that we have proof that the order knights worked with the cultists, if they had any land left we are taking it

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>>2978955
>>2978981
>>2979054
>>2979093

>[Check on the cultist]

>C: You know that since we actually killed Ordo Belis knights, we're going to have to deal with the wreath of the Marsailian Arch-Priest, my Lady.
>Yes, yes, I know this too much to be true but we'll cross that river when we get to it. In the meantime, fix my husband's leg by any means necessary, spare no expenses!
>C: Naturally, my Lady.

You left her alone to check on the cultist or what remained of them as you saw a male Draken without most of his neck dead on the ground. There was a she-Elf also next to him with black hair and green eyes fixed wide open without blinking. Once asking one of your guards what happened, he told you that the Elf must have ingested some poison as by the time your troops found her she was already dead. Taking a closer look you could see the foam around her mouth typical of cyanide suicide with the stench of death already lingering around her long before the fight was over. It must have been after seeing her demon lose the battle that she killed herself. Moving on from the corpse, you saw the woman sitting on the ground hugging her legs with the smell of urine coming from her. This coward must've pissed herself in the ensuing battle to end up in the sorry state that she was in.

>You! You're still alive, I command you to state your name!
>A-and what if I refuse!
>Then I will have to tear it out of you, now, tell me your name!
>M: Merian... Merian Schröder
>See that wasn't so hard. Now, tell me why this pile of dirt was so important for your order before I decide to burn you for cooperating with a warlock.
>M: I'll talk, I'll talk just please spare me!
>Spoken like a true coward.
>M: What will you have me speak?
>What is so important about this place and how many of you are out there in my county?
>M: T-this site is a place of true significance once you understand that there are some artifacts buried here that no mortal was supposed to find. As for our numbers, we often supplement our forces by hiring or forcing third-parties to work for us. But in this county there were just the 3 of us, now only one I guess.
>What is this artifact that you are trying to find here?
>M: The "Sarti Tange", an ancient bio-magical weapon system which ended the great siege of Sifon.
>You mean from the ancient poem "The Eradisos"? I thought the whole war in that was a myth.
>M: Well the gods intervening to cause the death of some heroes and to start the war maybe but the war between the very real cities of Sifon and Karga did exist though.

That information came very unsettlingly to you as you remembered reading the classics where it stated that a great plague sent by the Tuken god of death, Zahak, devastated the city to the point that half the population died. If such a thing was possibly by magical means, you needed to come up with a plan to prevent anybody from using whatever this thing was.

>[Regroup back at the manor]
>[Erase all traces]

>>2979468
>[Regroup back at the manor]

>>2979468
>>[Regroup back at the manor]

>>2979468
>[Erase all traces]

Is this the option to hide our involvement in the ordo knights murder? Gathering up our bodies and burning theirs and giving our guys a hero's burial back home?

>>2979503
Pretty much either sending back or hiding the corpses and covering up the event ever occurred.

>>2979468
>>[Erase all traces]

>>2979468
>>[Erase all traces]

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>>2979835
>>2979718
>>2979503

>[Erase all traces]

>Caterina, turn the corpses to ask and I want the footprints to be covered up like there was nothing here, is that understood?
>C: They won't find a thing, my Lady.

The witch got to work using a disintegration spell to turn the bodies to ash. She then moved on to use cat's vision to find any of the footprints and rewind time in those specific places to look like it was before the fight started. The illusion should be powerful enough to last until somebody or something decided to tamper with the ground where the footprints are. The knights were rounded up to be escorted into dungeon cells back in your castle while the cultist was taken back to the manor for further interrogation as this was a true member of this order than just another third-party working for the order. There might be some nice secrets for Merian to spill if you had your way with her as you did with Berbon. The witch spent the rest of the night tirelessly finding and destroying evidence of anybody being present at the proposed dig-site.

The morning was spent with you checking up on Raymond who was bed-ridden as nobody knows when he could walk again even after resetting the leg facing the right way. Next, you went to the cells to visit the tortured knights who all told of not knowing who these cultists were and that they only received orders to help them after meeting them at the county border by the local magister militum's request. It seems they lacked knowledge of the cult's intention or members no matter how much pain they suffer. The tour was interrupted by a runner who gave a message that the ducal priest arrived to discuss matters of significance at your manor. You knew what this matter of significance would be him lecturing about selling Temple property.

>[Meet him]
>[Claim you're ill]

>>2982008
>>[Meet him]

>>2982008
>[Meet him]

>>2982008
>>[Meet him]

>>2982008
>[Meet him]

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>>2983410
>>2982345
>>2982052
>>2982032

>[Meet him]

Although it didn't feel good to be doing this, you knew that you would have to face him sooner or later. The topic of seizing Temple land is more of a sensitive debate now more than ever before seeing as the king wishes to present his kingdom as a loyal Pentarchist state. A place where the local nobles wouldn't suddenly storm in a temple, monastery, or cathedral and declare it to now belong to the local noble. Which was exactly how your troops took over the local temple near the town and the monastery on a hill before stripping it of the gold and silver it had to be sold or melted. Voi has punished dukes and other nobles for doing such a thing but you prayed that this would go without his notice as you were simply a lowly countess.

Once making back to your manor, you saw the elderly face of the ducal priest with furrowed brows. You could hear the shaking from his hands and the heartbeat rising as he heard you walking to him. Priest Gilot Veil was never the Dwarf to stay calm and was a zealot who was quick to anger by the smallest slight. There was quite a question on why your father kept him but maybe he was there to make his standing with the king look good.

>Your Holiness, what brings you here to my humble home.
>G: You shut your yap and listen to me girl, what in Durga's mind were you thinking when you attack my holy paladins and stripped the Temple of their given land.
>Before you jump to conclusions, you should hear me out.
>G: I don't have to do a single thing in your favor, child. I should have you stripped of your title and sent you packing back to your father while Annaeas takes over.
>Its a little bit complicated than what you might believe it to be.
>G: Oh Magali, try your luck with me. And if you failed to justify this outrageous action I will be forced to demand you return all the land you took or call upon the Ordo Belis to take it from you.

Telling him the entire truth could work in forgiving you but you didn't know if he was a member of the order or if the information could leak. There was always the option to tell a half-truth as you did need the money to buy silver to protect yourself but going to such an extent leaves more questions than answers. Lying with something you've been thinking up was always something you were good at and with the ability to guide his reaction using Vampiric pheromones, this should be easy for you.

>[Truth]
>[Half-Truth]
>[Lie]

>>2985497
>[Lie]
Try to implicate the ordo knights in it, since they were working for a cult and a baron that tried to betray us. I hope we can pin this on that guy.

>>2985497
>>[Lie]

>>2985557
But wouldn’t that be the half-truth?

>>2985753
Hmm, and we did erase all the evidence....

Better to
>[Lie]
And not mention the things there, but I still hope we can throw that noble under thw bus

>>2985497
>>[Lie]

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>>2985557
>>2985582
>>2987375

>[Lie]

>Well the unruly Ordo Belis knights were running amuck within my realm extorting pilgrims for everything they have.
>G: I would say this is hard to believe if not for the fact this has happened before. Yet still, this doesn't justify simply stripping the Temple of its rightful property as punishment.
>There is more to this than that my holiness. For they were in league with my baron in corruption to squeeze out all of the wealth to divide it up amongst themselves and Temple property was used as their base of operations for years. Even going so far as to have me be assassinated with a manure bomb once I found out about his dealings.
>G: Now that, I find unbelievable especially since you haven't arrested this baron.
>I haven't found sufficient decisive evidence to prove his complacency in this plot.
>G: And that didn't mean you needed to sell Temple land.
>There was a greater need for money seeing as I couldn't afford additional protection from another assassination attempt.
>G: Nevermind then, I will personally talk to this so-called villainous baron to see for myself of his guilt.
>As you wish.

Ethor Barnier wasn't a particularly notable baron as he was probably the most content person you've ever met and it would be hard to find him guilty if you've personally known him. Yet that is to his own detriment as well, for due to his insignificance Gilot didn't know the aging noble personally. You knew this can be used to your advantage as long as you planted the right document at the right place at the right time, the ducal priest can be tricked into thinking that the entire fault can be attributed to the baron instead of you.

>[Send Caterina to plant forged documents]
>[Go personally to plant forged documents]

>>2988942
>>[Send Caterina to plant forged documents]

>>2988942
>[Go personally to plant forged documents]
Our vamp abilities will help.

Can we implicate that count on the blade too, we can't let him off the hook

>>2988942
>>[Go personally to plant forged documents]

>>2988998
this, throw that guy that wanted to marry our sister under the bus