Nine years ago King Aiden Perenolde betrayed the Alliance and sided with the Horde of Orgrim Doomhammer. Nine years ago Prince Alric Perenolde, the second heir of Alterac was sent into exile for his own protection. This exile turned permanent and Captain Normand Garside, your guardian for the past nine years made sure that you were safe and learned the useful skills that would help you in the future.Now you are ready to carry the responsibility and unite the scattered Alteraci people and reclaim the lands that were once the Kingdom of Alterac.Your visit to Durnholde finally came to a close as you finished your stay there. Returning back to Dawnholme felt like a refreshing return to normalcy, how could have an easy visit to relax and rest a bit turn out to be very much the opposite of that!Either way you got back home where not much had happened. You continued your studies in magic, arranged and planned the interrogation of your Syndicate assassins who you had took as prisoners and dealt with some of your remaining prisoners causing issues. And now you are in Southshore for the funeral of Magistrate Henry Maleb. Though things do have happened. You found out that Taretha Foxton is pregnant with Lord Aedelas Blackmoore’s child which complicates things a lot. And now you are going to a meeting which has representatives from Lordaeron and the Alliance and you don't expect good news.But hey at least you get to see your friend Lady Jaina Proudmoore… and get to meet her boyfriend Prince Arthas Menethil who dislikes you greatly…Good news always are followed with bad news…Welcome to Alterac Resurgent Quest!…Twitter: https://twitter.com/MedivhQM/qst/ Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Alterac%20Resurgent%20QuestPrince Alric Stats: https://pastebin.com/rysxdRsvQuest Mechanisms: https://pastebin.com/CyD88qqfCharacter List: https://pastebin.com/FkYd6wkJSide Character Stats: https://pastebin.com/aRfyksUG
>>5715687"I will be there shortly." The messenger bowed to your answer and left as quickly he had arrived."I will be wearing the robe, so I just need Malevus with me." You told your knights. "You can have the rest of the day off, there are too many soldiers in here for anyone to try anything.""Is that wise my Prince?" Sir Gravis asked you. "Like we do appreciate your order, but still?""Ehh, I am quite sure that I am safe here. Do you think that the Crown Prince of Lordaeron would travel without his own security force?" You said back to him. "A good point." Sir Gravis said and accepted his defeat happily. "Boys, you heard the Prince, rest of the day off!"The knights now quite happy filed off the room as you and Malevus were left standing there alone."Was that wise?" She asked you."They need their days off too, just like the rest of my soldiers.""Hey, I don’t get days off at all!""Yeah, and neither do I. Let's go Malevus, I want this meeting done and finished as soon as possible."…The Robe of Obfuscation seemed to have worked when Malevus pushed the front door to the town hall open and the clerk inside greeted her and not you."Where is the meeting?" You asked him, alerting him to your presence as you took the hood off your head."Upstairs and where the fel did you come from?" The surprised and alerted clerk to you."From the front door, didn't you notice or were you just looking at my squire?" You asked him."Oh…OH… I am sorry Prince Perenolde. That mistake won't happen again " the clerk profusely apologised as you walked past him."All good." You said.Seemed like the robe had worked magnificently. What else could you do with it other than just mess with clerks?Malevus stayed downstairs while you went up the stairs to the meeting room which was guarded by a pair of footmen with Silver Hand tabards. They opened the door and let you in."Prince Alric, I am glad that you could come." Tirion Fordring said to you as he lifted his head from the scrolls he was reading. So he was the mystery paladin here in Southshore. "Please take a seat.""Lord Fordring." You greeted and gave him a polite nod before sitting down.Briefly observing the room you recognised everyone in here. Magistrate Burnside of Hillsbrad Fields sat next to Mayor Fowley of Tarren Mill. Next to them was Marshal Redpath, the Commander of Southshore Militia and next to him was Colonel Othmar Garithos and Commodore Troubridge. Next to Fordring sat Arthas, but Jaina was missing? Was she late again?"Is Jaina late again?" You asked."Yes she is, that girl is never on time." Fordring said and sighed. "Normally the mages of Dalaran are very precise."The door opened and Jaina stepped in."I am sorry for being late, the discussion about the history of the church was so fascinating to listen to." Jaina apologised and took her seat next to Arthas. She gave you a quick nod. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting?"1/3
>>5715688"Oh no you did not, I just arrived just a moment ago." You said back to her."Now that the pleasantries are done, we can begin." Fordring said. He seemed to act as the speaker today and he seemed to take his job seriously. "This is a highly unusual meeting, normally new Magistrates are either nominated by the previous one or named by their Lord, but with the sudden passing of Henry Maleb and Southshore being a town directly under the demesne of King Terenas, we are now here."Fordring shuffled his papers and continued."Lord Uther would have handled this instead of me, but he is stuck elsewhere at the moment so he sent me to handle this. I have the blessing from King Terenas to act as the arbitrator and I will have the final say today. Is that clear?" Fordring asked all of you.You didn’t nod, but with Tirion Fordring being one of the five original paladins and a respected ruler in Hearthglen, his voice carried a lot of weight. Way more than what Arthas carried right now, even if he outrank Fordring."Good, then we can begin." He said and continued. "Another reason why this meeting happens is because of the nature of Henry Maleb’s death by the hands of a Syndicate Assassin. During the talks held in Capital City, King Terenas was convinced by the severity of the situation and decided that Hillsbrad needs a more active approach with its security.""What does that mean Lord Fordring?" Magistrate Burnside asked him."By the suggestion of Prince Arthas, Lord Colonel Garithos will be installed as the new Magistrate of Southshore. The headquarters of the Regional Defenders will also move here along with reinforcements." Tirion Fordring explained as he passed a scroll to Burnside and Fowley to read. "This move works in synergy with the construction of the Alliance Naval Base."Burnside and Fowley read the scroll and by every moment their faces became more and more serious."This is…" Burnside started."Outrageous!" Fowley finished. You hadn’t seen the small bookish man this furious before. "King Terenas is stepping on the toes of the civil service and breaking the tradition of civilians and not soldiers ruling the villages and towns. You know that Lord Fordring really well, you rule the Mardenholde Keep, but the town of Hearthglen has its own Mayor.""That is only a tradition Mayor Fowley." Garithos said and scoffed at the small man. "And besides, Southshore is a city now."2/3
>>5715690Both Burnside and Fowley were surprised when they heard about that."Speaking of that, King Terenas has also given Southshore the charter to be called a city and not a town." Fordring said and handed another scroll to them. "It might be a tradition worth upholding, but cities are above such traditions."Burnside and Fowley didn't like the news at all. To them this was dangerous as moves like this could encourage more military personnel instead of civilians ruling the villages and towns. A dangerous precedent to be set.Most importantly you now knew why Garithos had been so smug yesterday. He knew he would rule this town… city now and that his Regional Defenders would be based here. That could mean maybe a couple hundred more soldiers in Hillsbrad alone.Enough to counter your forces easily if needed. And it had been an idea by Arthas."You seem to be thinking about something Prince Alric?" Arthas said to you. He had kept his eyes fixed on you trying to fish a reaction from you. "What do you think, does this sound like a good idea?">Take the side of Burnside and Fowley, this sets a dangerous precedent for future transfer of administration away from civilians.>Take the side of Burnside and Fowley, explain how in Alteraci law the civil administration was protected against moves like this.>Don't take sides, all of this is internal Lordaeron business and not relevant to Alterac. Stay neutral and don't let this to wind you up.>Has anyone asked what will the Barovs think about this move? After all they own a sizable amount of land in Hillsbrad and are powerful noble family.>Point out the obvious synergy with the Alliance Naval Base and the much needed increase in security. Mention how it took the expedition and not local forces alone to defeat the gnolls.>Be blunt and call this move as what it is. It is to counter the military growth of Alterac and such a move to increase military strength so close to the border will be seen as a hostile action by the Alteracis.>Other, write in.
>>5715691>>Has anyone asked what will the Barovs think about this move? After all they own a sizable amount of land in Hillsbrad and are powerful noble family.
New thread, new adventures! As always if you have questions about the quest, the characters, the world or about the QM, go ahead and ask them. I will do my best to answer them.>>5715424>>5715515I do must highlight these two good posts from the tail end of the last thread. Especially the second of them nails the situation with your prisoners really well. A bit of effort was seen writing that.
>>5715691Firstly,>Has anyone asked what will the Barovs think about this move? After all they own a sizable amount of land in Hillsbrad and are powerful noble family.Secondly, if we hear nothing of relevance from the previous question and decide to go for the blunt approach:"If you thought you would get a rise out of me then Im afraid you're sorely mistaken. To answer your question, yes I dislike this idea. It is not only an enchroachment on the autonomy of your kingdoms subjects but also on the sovereignty of my domain. No wonder Garithos was so smug in my meeting with him yesterday, his hatred for Alteracis is well known. Although I suspect your support of this idea was at least in part motivated by your personal hatred for me instead."Just something I felt like writing, Alric really lives rent free in Arthas' head.
>>5715691Hmm... well, formally this is absolutely Lordaeron internal affair and as such we can be happy we're even given voice here, even if we may have only been invited to get told that we're going to have alliance military on our doorstep.That said, alliance military is not really news for us but rather a fact of life, even if its imminent buildup may make things more precarious for us, it's not like we weren't a backroom deal away from an armed intervention before. But perhaps we can take the chance to make some points...>Express appreciation that you've been, as a good neighbour, invited to the discussion. After all, security and prosperity of the region has been our priority on consistent basis.>But since we're already here we may share some thoughts:>Firstly, the distinction between military and civilian administration exists for a reason, the concept of military commander and civil servant are at odds with each other. Soldiers need to obey their commander whereas civil servant needs to listen to citizens and serve them, it's in the name.>Secondly, although we have seen Garithos's martial skill firsthand, managing a city carries a lot of work and could lead to either the military or the civilian aspect ending up neglected, to detriment of either security or prosperity and ultimately consequences for both.>Finally we could mention Barovs and maybe Gilneas and Stromgarde and what they think about the moveThere's also a point where countering syndicate down in southshore may not be as effective as placing the troops where there's more syndicate activity instead but I don't really want them to come up with notion of settling their forces somewhere where they'd be even more of a bother.Maybe we could try to raise a countersuggestion, but I'm not sure if any would be particularly better than this idea. Such as-suggesting an operation to clear out the path to Strahnbrad, freeing up logistics and mitigating need for immedate military presence (although that would go against us being the ones to do this by ourselves and possibly deprive us from much of the potential benefit)-suggesting an operation to deal with gnolls (again, perhaps for good) and set up shop somewhere up there around Durnholde (but that would put them also uncomfortably close to us and Blackmoore)-suggesting they set up shop in hillsbrad instead where syndicate demonstrably had an operation (Burnside might hate our guts for throwing this at him though, unless he'd be fine with having the military around without his position threatened)If one thing is certain then that throwing tantrum won't help us any. Fordring is a sensible and honourable man, but we'll need arguments if we want him and others to rething their stances
>>5715691Sweet new thread>Take the side of Burnside and Fowley, explain how in Alteraci law the civil administration was protected against moves like this.>Has anyone asked what will the Barovs think about this move? After all they own a sizable amount of land in Hillsbrad and are powerful noble family.I always supported our old allies. Very reliable neighbours. I guess putting the idea of organizing another meeting with the Barovs and them was a great idea, more friends are always useful for us.Also yeah this essentially is a military move against us. We have no reason to support or approve this idea, we are growing stronger now and the Alliance doesn't like the sound of that.Oh my god Arthas, that's it before he returns to his room we are leaving dirt in his morning soup. >>5715698Also remember guys we have a small alliance garrison that we barely tolerate, that likely influences too reputation/relations.
Garithos placed there with that additional title, can properly support a well equipped and trained army of sizable size, and rush on us like the war dog he is if the Alliance wants to declare war. Southshore growing in a port city would really help Garithos with cash. He will definetly give us problems with trade too, if he gains that position. Perhaps Garithos could be our first assasination target... then again he might be his own doom if he doesn't know how to control a settlement. That can be used.
>>5715691>Has anyone asked what will the Barovs think about this move? After all they own a sizable amount of land in Hillsbrad and are powerful noble family.
>>5715691holy rent freeArthas tries so hard to piss Alric off, and Alric makes him seethe just by existing, kek>Has anyone asked what will the Barovs think about this move? After all they own a sizable amount of land in Hillsbrad and are powerful noble family.
>>5715698I remember Sir Radan asking Malevus to teach him about the LightHow far has he come in his ttraining, if at all?
Asking about the Barovs and what they think about this move is the clear winner at the moment, but I will have Alric lean in on support of his neighbours somewhat, but not being confrontional towards Garithos and Arthas. The update will come later this evening so you have about six to seven hours to vote and discuss. Good points and opinions has been raised up. >>5716047I have that in my notes, but it is a very slow burn thing. Sir Radan and Malevus have been talking about the Holy Light when they have the time which isn't as often due to both of them being busy.
"First of all I want to thank you for being invited to this meeting, even if the first set of things seems to be about internal Lordaeron business. Now that being said, have you asked the Barovs what they think about this, because I can imagine that they share similar concerns as my neighbours do." You said to Arthas and turned your head towards Garithos and Fordring. "They after all own large tracts of land in Hillsbrad and are one of the wealthiest and strongest families in Lordaeron.""Lord Alexei is a loyal servant of King Terenas and Lordaeron." Garithos said back. "He won't say a word against this.""Maybe not publicly, but this does set a precedent which could be used to remove their people from their administrative positions." You said back to him. "And to my understanding, it is the children who handle a good portion of their business nowadays.""Prince Alric's understanding is right, the three children handle most of the daily business for the family." Mayor Fowley said and continued. "This needs to be brought up with them as well and I can't imagine them being happy.""I concur. Even if they are our primary rivals in trade, I can imagine them not being happy." Burnside continued.Tirion Fordring, who had been just listening, made several notes on his papers."Your concerns have been noted, but for the time being no changes are to be made." He said to no one in particular.It wouldn’t be a bad idea to call Fowley and Burnside to Dawnholme to discuss these events. Have one of the Barovs come as well, maybe you could arrange something together?"You can be sure that Tarren Mill will raise this issue up and King Terenas will hear about this." Fowley said back."That is noted as well." Fordring said. "Lord Colonel, you had something else to say as well?""Yes, thank you Lord Fordring." Garithos said and took one of his scrolls. "In total Southshore is going to receive nearly two hundred footmen, hundred archers, several scores of engineers with their warmachines and a small number of knights. When the spring comes, the Regional Defenders are going to go and eradicate the murlocs sighted by the coast.""Admirable initiative Lord Colonel, I bet the locals will appreciate that." Arthas said to him and Garithos gave him an agreeing nod."The Southshore Militia will also be deployed with the Regional Defenders as they are going to be merged with my men." Garithos said and turned towards Marshal Redpath. "Your soldiers are going to be part of Regional Defenders now."Redpath clearly wanted to say something, but he kept his mouth shut. He had probably heard the news before the meeting. "In addition, Regional Defenders will join other local militias and the marines of Alliance Naval Base in joint patrols across Hillsbrad." Garithos continued. "This is to ensure the security and well-being of the whole region, especially as under previous leadership gnolls and bandits freely moved in the forests."1/3
>>5716528"It is going to help us to train our men, quite many of them are fresh recruits." Commodore Troubridge said back. He had been silent as the local politics didn't concern him or his mission.You thought about what he had told all of you. Joint patrols with local militias after Southshore's got merged with Regional Defenders? Even a blind man can see where this will lead into, he wants Hillsbrad Fields and Tarren Mill to surrender the control of their soldiers de facto to him. Both Burnside and Fowley must understand that."Lord Colonel, do you have anything else in mind?" Arthas asked him. You felt that his tone had something fishy about it."In fact I do." Garithos said back."You do?" Fordring asked him and looked at his scrolls. "Something new? We didn't discuss subjects other than what you have already brought up back in Capital City.""Yes, this is a more recent decision." Garithos said."Then let's hear about it." Fordring said and prepared to make more notes of his."Due to the increased threat from the Syndicate and from the direction of Alterac in the form of bandits, the Regional Defenders will take up patrolling the King's Road to Alterac." Garithos said as he read from his scroll. "Due to the distances covered being long, the patrols will use the Regional Defenders garrison near the town of Dawnholme as their base."That fucker, that son of a bitch. If you knew magic, you would polymorph him into a toad and boil him alive! He is trying to have his men enter Alterac under the pretence of patrolling the King's Road and basing the patrols in the garrison which would give them an excuse to move more troops right next to your home."In addition due to the threat from the Crushridge ogres, the number of Regional Defenders in the garrison are going to be doubled to ensure the security of the region." Garithos said and seemed to finish.All eyes in the room turned towards you and then back towards Garithos before turning back to you again. Garithos had his smug grin return and you saw in the corner of your eye how Arthas was smiling as well. A recent decision? You could bet anything that it was Arthas who was behind, even if partially, these ideas.And boy you were angry as you kept your stiff upper lip and avoided showing emotions, this wasn’t even a fair negotiation, but instead just a demand to do as told and accept what was ordered or face the consequences. The Alteracis wouldn't accept any of this when they heard about this, they already disliked the Regional Defenders who for the most part stayed in the garrison. Legality of this was extremely dubious at best, sure you weren't yet the King, but the lands you ruled were part of the Kingdom of Alterac. And renegotiating the Edict of King Terenas like this was wholly outside his powers even if backed by Arthas and his status.2/3
>>5716530Jaina gave you a concerned look, she understood what the situation was and what they were trying to do.Was Garithos and Arthas really that stupid that they would think that you would accept this as is? Are they waiting for you to react by setting up a bait like this? And what would their reaction be, were they waiting for a chance to march soldiers into Dawnholme or call the Silver Hand to crush Alterac once more? Would Lord Uther even do that?You weren't sure as you looked at Tirion Fordring who hadn't moved at all during all this. Instead he had been just observing and watching you. He too knew what was going on.>Alterac will accept these demands, Regional Defenders won't trespass Alteraci territory. They have your word.>Alteracis won't accept foreign troops in their territory or near their homes outside of those already in the garrison.>The lands Regional Defenders are planning on patrolling are rightful territory of the Kingdom of Alterac, this means they are trespassing without your permission which you aren't going to give.>Renegotiation of the Edict of King Terenas is outside the powers of Garithos and the Regional Defenders. He has no power to dictate new terms like this.>Other, write in>Let things pass as a mistake by someone new in his position. You do not want a diplomatic incident. Belittle Garithos as much as possible.>You cannot let such a brazen act of undiplomatic action go unanswered. Alterac will respond in an appropriate way to this diplomatic slight.>Declare Regional Defenders and Lord Colonel Garithos persona non gratas. The garrison has to remove themselves from Dawnholme immediately and no further diplomatic relationship will exist between Alterac and them.>Other, write in>Call Arthas out, it is clear that from the start this has been his idea.>Keep no selling Arthas>Other, write inQM: Please vote in all three and choose as many as you want in the first one.
for the alliance military>>Renegotiation of the Edict of King Terenas is outside the powers of Garithos and the Regional Defenders. He has no power to dictate new terms like this.Alterac is not their territory and patrolling it is our responsibility. We can discuss possibility of a joint operation, but we are not interested in having alliance take over patrols in our territory. We too are invested in security of the region - alliance stretching itself thin just to deliver a political insult goes exactly in the opposite direction.>Let things pass as a mistake by someone new in his position. You do not want a diplomatic incident.However it does seem another diplomatic tour would be in order. We're not really in position to coerce anyone, but maybe we can at least try to convince them that their browbeating on the faction that already wants to have good relationships is not to their benefit. And there's no reason to go out of our way to humiliate garithos, getting Tirion to shut him down will be quite enough.>Keep no selling Arthasthere's no benefit to giving him the satisfaction, we'd only make ourselves look silly.It's quite absurd really. Syndicate does not operate from Dawnholme, if anything we're bleeding syndicate's manpower with our policies and have actively thwarted several of their plots. We've been nothing but cooperative with the Alliance. And for this they want to punish and humiliate us? Diverting forces away from their heartland just to antagonize people we've been painstakingly convincing that Alterac and Alliance can exist in good relations? It's insanely petty.
>>5716531>>5716551> It's quite absurd really. Syndicate does not operate from Dawnholme, if anything we're bleeding syndicate's manpower with our policies and have actively thwarted several of their plots. We've been nothing but cooperative with the Alliance. And for this they want to punish and humiliate us? Diverting forces away from their heartland just to antagonize people we've been painstakingly convincing that Alterac and Alliance can exist in good relations? It's insanely petty.I'd rather we say this or the dialogue I wrote last thread outloud alongside the argument that they don't have the authority. Not in an outburst, just saying how it is. Their intentions are so obviously hostile that I don't see why we should be subtle. Their charade is transparent.
>>5716531>The lands Regional Defenders are planning on patrolling are rightful territory of the Kingdom of Alterac, this means they are trespassing without your permission which you aren't going to give.>Renegotiation of the Edict of King Terenas is outside the powers of Garithos and the Regional Defenders. He has no power to dictate new terms like this.>You cannot let such a brazen act of undiplomatic action go unanswered. Alterac will respond in an appropriate way to this diplomatic slight.>Keep no selling Arthas
>>5716531>The lands Regional Defenders are planning on patrolling are rightful territory of the Kingdom of Alterac, this means they are trespassing without your permission which you aren't going to give.>Renegotiation of the Edict of King Terenas is outside the powers of Garithos and the Regional Defenders. He has no power to dictate new terms like this.We are willing to cooperate in the interests of regional security and maintaining good diplomatic relations, but only insofar as it does not further infringe on the sovereignty of Alterac or undermine the administrative positions of the Barov family or any other local leaders, especially in their absence. >You cannot let such a brazen act of undiplomatic action go unanswered. Alterac will respond in an appropriate way to this diplomatic slight.Tell them we will seek an audience with King Terenas to inform him of the situation, that these demands unnecessarily strain relations with people who have been largely cooperative, and this may destabilise the region.>Call Arthas out, it is clear that from the start this has been his idea.His petty personal grudge was one thing, but when it starts impacting our kingdom and people, I think we should address it.
>>5716829>His petty personal grudge was one thing, but when it starts impacting our kingdom and people, I think we should address it.That is true. Just what sort of Paladin is he if he lets his personal dislikes drive him to act to detriment of unrelated innocents? Not just our people who they may dismiss as treacherous Alteraci, but his own subjects as well?
>>5716531>Alteracis won't accept foreign troops in their territory or near their homes outside of those already in the garrison.>Renegotiation of the Edict of King Terenas is outside the powers of Garithos and the Regional Defenders. He has no power to dictate new terms like this.>Let things pass as a mistake by someone new in his position. You do not want a diplomatic incident. Belittle Garithos as much as possible.>Keep no selling Arthas
>>5716531>>The lands Regional Defenders are planning on patrolling are rightful territory of the Kingdom of Alterac, this means they are trespassing without your permission which you aren't going to give.>>Renegotiation of the Edict of King Terenas is outside the powers of Garithos and the Regional Defenders. He has no power to dictate new terms like this.>>You cannot let such a brazen act of undiplomatic action go unanswered. Alterac will respond in an appropriate way to this diplomatic slight.>>Keep no selling ArthasRestraint, but we need to respond to this. They need to understand that you aren't going to allow stuff like this to happen. Let's use our Charisma of 5 to deal with this situation.This is very petty from Arthas, but we shouldn't bring it up now, maybe when we are in a private situation.
You pinched the bridge of your nose and closed your eyes for a second. Rubbing the bridge, you knew you needed some restraint and that you couldn't just go off at them. You need to poke holes in their plans and strengthen your position that way."Your plan to start patrolling the King's Road and basing said troops in the garrison does forget the fact that those lands are rightful territory of Kingdom of Alterac, therefore your soldiers would be trespassing without my permission." You started to speak to him. "And I am not going to give you one.""Princeling, you aren’t the King." Garithos said back."Then go tell these demands to my brother, he is the first heir and I don’t think he is as receptive to this as I am." You said back to him. "He probably would try to poison or stab you to death, probably both at the same time. That being said, any soldiers attempting to move through Alteraci territory are in clear violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Attempts to do so will receive a proportional answer.""You have…" Garithos attempted to continue."In addition any plans on finding an alternative pretences for deploying and having soldiers move into or travel through Alteraci territory will be handled similarly." You interrupted him and immediately continued. "Because it is quite clear that your plan was to use these patrols to have more soldiers deployed in Alteraci lands than just needed to patrol the King's Road.""Preposterous, these actions are for the security of Hillsbrad." Garithos said back to you. "I have all the justification to work towards the safety of our people.""But not by renegotiating the Edict, you have no power or standing to do so. You are a Colonel in Regional Defenders, an organisation underneath the Army of Lordaeron." You told him. "Any attempts for you to do so are wholly illegal and have no way of surviving when challenged.""I am the Commander of the Regional Defenders, I have the ear of King Terenas and support of…" Garithos spoke back to you and raised his voice. He had started to lose his temper."Support of whom?" You asked back. He was going to say Arthas, but didn't act on it. "Your plan to double the garrison in Dawnholme won't be accepted. Any further soldiers sent there will be trespassing on Alteraci territory and breaking the Edict as well.""Regional Defenders don't take orders from you Princeling." He said back."If you insist on sending the soldiers to the garrison, Alterac will see that as the Alliance breaking the terms of the Edict. At that point we see it null and void." You said back to him and presented the situation to him clearly. If He was to act on his plans, it could give you a pretext to declare the Edict to be broken and not by you. "Are you sure you want that?"Garithos didn't say anything back to you and Arthas wasn't smiling either, but you didn’t give him a look. You opted to no sell him and his involvement in this again.1/2
>>5716916"It's quite absurd really. The Syndicate does not operate from Dawnholme, if anything we're bleeding their manpower and have actively thwarted several of their plots. We've been nothing but cooperative with the Alliance and Lordaeron, our cooperation with our neighbours and Durnholde as the prime examples of it. And for this you want to punish and humiliate us?" You told Garithos and everyone in the room as you continued. "Yes, punish and humiliate. You would be diverting forces away from real threats just to antagonise the people I have been painstakingly trying to convince that Alterac and the Alliance can exist and cooperate together. Instead of cooperation, I get to witness insanely petty and harming actions that could damage and undo everything we have been trying to achieve in the past few years."Garithos nor anyone else didn't say anything back to you, but you could see that he was fuming and compared to you, he didn't really know how to hide it."That being said, Alterac cannot allow this to go unanswered. This brazen act of undiplomatic action will be answered appropriately by the Alterac." You told him as a matter of fact. "By using yesterday, this meeting, what has been said and proposed here as an evidence, Alterac sees that we are well justified to have our reply.""You whelp, you have no power to dictate what we do or how we do it!" Garithos said and stood up. He had enough of you sinking his arguments. The chair he was sitting on fell on the floor and startled Fowley who hadn't expected the large man in his armour to stand up so suddenly. "Kingdom of Alterac was destroyed and we should have officially annexed the lands years ago to avoid such upstarts and honourless manwhores like you telling us what we can and can't do.""Lord Colonel…" Fordring started to say, but your response interrupted him.>Stand up and make it clear to him that he is overstepping his bounds. Assert dominance and put him in his place. You aren't going to allow him to speak to you like this.>Stay seated and calmly explain to him that he is making the situation worse for him by the moment.>You don't need to listen to such drivel. Just leave the meeting.>Other, write in
>>5716917>>Stay seated and calmly explain to him that he is making the situation worse for him by the moment.We did not come here with intention to make things worse, we even were willing to talk to him when he summoned us. Perhaps he will be able to see that in time (but who am I kidding, of course he won't)
>>5716917>>Stand up and make it clear to him that he is overstepping his bounds. Assert dominance and put him in his place. You aren't going to allow him to speak to you like this.We have a chance to put him into his place and shut him up.
>>5716917>Stand up and make it clear to him that he is overstepping his bounds. Assert dominance and put him in his place. You aren't going to allow him to speak to you like this.ALTERAC STANDS
>>5716927Even though Garithos certainly deserves comeuppance, we're not really in position to deliver it. Fordring probably is. If we escalate confrontation to the point where we need Jaina's Chillout Treatment it will probably not help us any.
>>5716917>Stand up and make it clear to him that he is overstepping his bounds. Assert dominance and put him in his place. You aren't going to allow him to speak to you like this.
>>5716917>Stay seated and calmly explain to him that he is making the situation worse for him by the moment.
>>5716932We are in a position to deliver it. We and everyone in the room know that his orders aren't realistic. Him raising his voice and losing his temper shows that he isn't arguing with good arguments. When he called us manwhore he gave us the reason to dress him down in a way that doesn't make us look like a fool.
>>5716917>>Stand up and make it clear to him that he is overstepping his bounds. Assert dominance and put him in his place. You aren't going to allow him to speak to you like this.>"your 'benefactor' must be really happy with the mess you are making"
>>5716917damn he called us a manwhore>Stay seated and calmly explain to him that he is making the situation worse for him by the moment.
>>5716917>Stand up and make it clear to him that he is overstepping his bounds. Assert dominance and put him in his place. You aren't going to allow him to speak to you like this.>Write in"Mind your tongue, Colonel. I tolerated a brute like you, but i shall not hear another offense on my royalty, my family and the acts i did for aid Alterac and my neighbours.""So stop your barking, or i will demand a proper punishment for your offenses to me and Alterac."
Our position is made possible by Alliance politics on our topic not being unified. We don't have authority to discipline him and we don't have muscle to force the issue (unless he'd agree to a 1vs1 - maybe he is in right mindspace for that now, but that then also carries risks of its own, such as us not allowing anyone to check our bruises to not reveal our markings). The best we can get is someone else at the table - or in the capital city - to discipline him for us.We're for sure within our rights to defend ourselves should he assault us, but making demands or threats that we have no ways of making good on will only get us embarrassed.
Standing up as fast as he did, you kept your back straight and looked him directly into eyes."Lord Colonel Othmar Garithos, you are way out of line." You told him with the same voice you use when commanding troops in the field. "What you just said is further proof that yesterday and today was a waste of time for me. And I thought that this meeting could be a useful one, but instead I got to witness a grown man making an ass out of himself.""You…" He started to say something back to you."You shut up and stay shut up!" You raised your voice a bit more this time. "And sit down and listen."To your surprise he did stay silent and then he took a step back and picked the chair up. He didn’t do it willingly by the sound of the chair dragging on the floor, but he did it."And listen well, your words about the Kingdom of Alterac, its destruction and the annexation revealed your true colours and how badly you overstepped your bounds." You spoke and kept your voice steady, but not loud. "You do not speak like that to a royalty nor to diplomats, there are standards to fulfil and mistakes to avoid, unless you want a diplomatic incident after a diplomatic incident. Sooner than later, King Terenas has had enough when the other people who have his ear complain about you to him. And then you will find yourself shovelling orc shit in one of the Internment Camps."Everyone listened to what you were saying in silence with Garithos slightly losing the colour on his face."Those words were what I needed to hear so that I could know how worthless, uneducated, imbecile you are as a man and most importantly as a diplomat. I now know what to expect from you in the future which is less than nothing." You said sternly and continued. "Rest of your words? Like I care about them, but I can imagine your benefactor being really happy about the mess you have made."You looked around before stopping at Tirion Fordring."Lord Fordring, like I said I find this meeting a waste of my time so I will make my leave now." You said to him and gave him a polite nod. "It was my honour to talk with you.""Likewise Prince Alric." Fordring said back to you and returned the nod.But you didn't see it as you had already turned around and walked out of the room.…You are Jaina Proudmoore, a mage of Dalaran, supposed prodigy in magic, a good friend of Alric Perenolde and the girlfriend of Arthas Menethil.And you aren't exactly sure what just happened? Like sure you understood the intent of Garithos trying to project his power over Alric, but what in Lord Antonidas name was that attempt? It was doomed to fail, Alric would have never accepted anything like that.Neither had you seen Alric as mad as he had been ever before. He hid it well, but you had learned to know him rather well so you noticed the little signs.1/2
>>5716917>Stand up and make it clear to him that he is overstepping his bounds. Assert dominance and put him in his place. You aren't going to allow him to speak to you like this.I've not told you to do anything in this entire meeting. I've simply laid out the facts and my opinions of said facts while you tantrum and rage at your failure to strongarm me into accepting the blatant overstep of your authority.">>5717111I don't get it, do you think the "assert dominance" means we pretend that we have authority over him? Because that's not the impression I got, instead I see it as asserting that HE does not have authority over US. The dominance comes from putting his authority in it's appropriate place as Colonel Garithos, commander of the Regional Defenders. Not King Terenas or Lord Uther as he seems to think he is.
>>5717123"Lord Colonel… As I was going to say, cool your head and stay silent." Tirion Fordring said as he started to collect his papers and scrolls. "Because you are a very lucky man.""Lucky, what do you mean?" He asked the paladin back."What you witnessed was a masterclass example of holding one's tongue and feelings back. Till you decided to call him a manwhore, he had no valid reason to reveal them. He kept them in check." Fordring told him. "You should learn from him."Lucky for missing that?" Garithos asked the paladin back, missing the lesson completely."If you are really that blind for wanting to ruin the work Lord Uther has put together in the past two years, then you missed him holding his hand on the hilt of his sword the whole time." Fordring said back with disappointment trickling into his voice. "You are very lucky he didn't leave this room with your head, because I don't think no one, me included, could have stopped that if he had wanted to do so."Fordring was right! You had noticed that when Alric stood up, he had been ready to draw his sword at the moment's notice."Lord Fordring is right." You said and got everyone's attention. "I know Alric, and I have never seen him as angry as we just saw him""Angry? Well I hope I will never see him furious then." Marshal Redpath said. "This meeting is over?""Yes, unless anyone has anything to say, we are done." Fordring said back to the Marshal.The Magistrate and the Mayor started to speak something with the paladin, but you didn’t listen to them. Your mind was with Alric, you were concerned about him, maybe he needed a friend to be with him after all this? He was probably fine, but still."Jaina." Arthas said and touched your sleeve as he stood up. You had planned to eat dinner with him, but you weren't so sure now. Arthas had been acting real immature since he had seen Alric and it put you into a bit of a sour mood. How can normally such a pleasant, nice and caring man act like that? >The dinner can wait till another day, go find Alric and see how he is doing.>Go have dinner with Arthas, after all you promised to go for one with him. Maybe you could talk with him about all this?>Decline the dinner, you need some time alone to think.>Other, write in.
>>5717123See? Exactly as I thought>>5717125>Go have dinner with Arthas, after all you promised to go for one with him. Maybe you could talk with him about all this?I feel like Jaina would confront Arthas about all this. If she cares about Arthas and she cares about Alric then there's no way she would let this go unresolved without at least trying once.
QM: Never had a vote come in between the update posts. First time for that!I can say that no one in that room is happy about Garithos, he definitely hasn’t made any new friends. Even Arthas thinks that he made a step too far with his last statements.
>>5717130Fair enough, I suppose I’ve been more worried than I had reason to be.> >Go have dinner with Arthas, after all you promised to go for one with him. Maybe you could talk with him about all this?
>>5717125>Go have dinner with Arthas, after all you promised to go for one with him. Maybe you could talk with him about all this?ALTERAC STANDSWith that out of the way, really nice. We will have Garithos and his regional defenders for breakfast, lunch and dinner if he wants to make a move against us. Alongside his moustaches.And now i want to see this POV honestly, it will be quite fun. A sweet Garithos humiliation, followed by a sweet moment of Arthas and Jaina, plus their inevitable talk of trying to unreveal the depths of his hatred for us.
>>5717125>Go have dinner with Arthas, after all you promised to go for one with him. Maybe you could talk with him about all this?
>>5717125>>Go have dinner with Arthas, after all you promised to go for one with him. Maybe you could talk with him about all this?>>5717147garithos moustache mogs us nowwho was truly humiliated here?
>>5717125>>The dinner can wait till another day, go find Alric and see how he is doing.
>>5717125Masterful use of words Med, holy shit. I could feel his rage.
"Lord Fordring, we will be leaving now." You said to the paladin."I am planning on visiting Dalaran on my return journey, maybe we can talk more then?" He said back to you."I will inform Lord Antonidas, he will have everything ready and waiting for you." You said and gave him a polite nod."Thank you Lady Jaina, don't let me keep you waiting." Fordring said and concentrated again on the ongoing discussion.He was right, Arthas was already waiting by the door."Let's go Jaina, I have heard that the food is exceptionally delicious." He said to you and smiled as he offered a hand for you to take.With a smile you took his hand and followed him out of the town hall. You had hoped to have seen a glimpse of Alric, but he had already left somewhere else.Now though time for dinner, after all you had promised to have one with Arthas.…There was a private dining room for the exceptionally important people in The Golden Hyacinth which Arthas had reserved for you and him. Supposedly he had to haggle and bargain with the chef and the owner of this inn before he even got to reserve it.You didn’t know how much of that was true, but by the Light the food was good, the gnome chef was a true professional. The dumplings, steamed asparagus, chicken breasts with herbs and a bit of butter. All of it was so good and tasty.But you didn’t really have an appetite and it looked like you were mostly just nibbling on the food and pushing it around on the plate. At least the wine was good."Is everything alright, you don't like the food?" Arthas asked you as he wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin."Oh no the food is great, I just don't have the appetite for it." You said back and tried to wave his concern away."Something is worrying you. What is it?" Arthas asked back. He had learned to know you to recognise it."Just what happened in the meeting, you know how me and Alric are friends." You told him and put down your fork and knife. "I have never seen him like that.""Don't worry about him, he is a grown man. What you should worry about is that tomorrow we are supposed to go visit the battleships in the harbour and you have nearly finished the third glass of wine already." Arthas said and gave you an assuring smile."I know, to show our faces and shake hands." You said and feigned disgust. You had never really enjoyed public relations work, but you can't really run away from them either."Can't hide behind your books this time." Arthas said and laughed.1/2
>>5717492It was true, being in Dalaran was a blessing. So many times you had managed to avoid standing around while looking important, by just going into the library and studying. You smiled at Arthas and finished the glass of wine."It is just… what was Garithos thinking? Moving the headquarters and becoming the new Magistrate weren't egregious moves, but what came after that… he must have known that Alric wouldn't accept any of that." You said to Arthas and continued. "Then why do it?""Jaina, stop thinking about the meeting and bothering yourself with the details." Arthas said and started to be a bit annoyed about you bringing it up for the second time. "Look Jaina, I know you and Alric are friends, but what happened in the meeting was just politics.""Politics to talk about annexation, sending more troops to Alterac, calling him names… Arthas that wasn’t normal politics and you know it." You said back to him and the concern creeped into your voice."Garithos misspoke, but what he said aren't uncommon thoughts in Lordaeron." Arthas said. "And when he called Alric a manwhore… a step too far even with the talk around."You had heard the rumours as well. Alric having a woman in every town and village he visits? Him having a mistress? You didn't believe any of it, Alric wasn't like that. But did Arthas think that he was like that? You didn't know and Alric had always been a sore subject for Arthas so you hadn't raised it up that often. You knew they weren't exactly on the best terms, but it felt so one sided. You hadn’t seen Alric antagonise Arthas on purpose either.Maybe you should just push the thoughts away and enjoy the evening. Alric will be fine and you didn’t want to bother Arthas and get him in a sour mood too. Especially after seeing the effort of arranging this dinner that seems to mean a lot to him.>Does Arthas share the same sentiments as Garithos does? >Does Arthas believe in the rumours?>What really is between him and Alric? He really can't stand him at all.>Just put these things aside and enjoy the food. Arthas is right, Alric is a grown man, he will be fine.>Other, write in.
>>5717495kind of tempted to just let it go, but...>>What really is between him and Alric? He really can't stand him at all.What was that remark about poisoning about? Making light of magistrate's death just to deliver a jab? That was not banter, that was just plain malice.
>>5717495>What really is between him and Alric? He really can't stand him at all.Jaina is a very inquisitive woman.
>>5717495>Does Arthas share the same sentiments as Garithos does?>Does Arthas believe in the rumours?>What really is between him and Alric? He really can't stand him at all.The first two questions naturally lead to the third one.
>>5717495>What really is between him and Alric? He really can't stand him at all.>Does Arthas share the same sentiments as Garithos does?
>>5717495>>Does Arthas share the same sentiments as Garithos does?>>Does Arthas believe in the rumours?>>What really is between him and Alric? He really can't stand him at all.We do need to ask all three questions.>>5715698I don't remember if someone has asked or if you have answered, but could we have prevented the Stonemason riots?
>>5717582And I don’t remember if I have answered. I might have answered, but didn't tell all details I had in mind. Either way, enough time has passed in the quest that I can say that yes, you could have prevented it. You for the most part did the right things that would have made all parties involved to listen to you. But the key ingredient that would have put everything together was missing.If Katrana had bedded Alric, I had planned that she would have tried to get everyone behind the negotiation table, because everyone would listen to you after helping the Stonemasons, saving that nobleman and winning the tournament and she would have had you around her finger. Maybe some sort of an agreement could have been reached then.Oh if anyone has any ideas for a sidestory for me to write, I could use one as I might have a bit more time at hand.
>>5717612>Tiffin died because Alric didn’t fuck OnyWhat a strange timeline
>>5717612> Let everything go to shit because her seduction ploy didn't work.Damnable vixen, at least the masons are safe with us.> sidestoryI want hear the inner thoughts of the other meeting members during the whole kerfuffle to be honest.
>>5717614Alric is a wildcard and a wrench to be thrown into canon plans.This does tie into what I find about some settings lacking when in comes to quests. I had four ideas before I started this quest. One of them was a Fullmetal Alchemist Quest as it is probably my all time favourite manga/animal. The world rules a lot, but inserting a new OC character into the world which is that restricted around the main characters, made me drop those plans. Breaking canon in FMA would break so much about the overall plot that justifying the OC donut steel being inserted into the story would be very hard.On the other end is another idea I had which was a Fallout New Vegas one. It meanwhile is a proper sandbox waiting to be broken and you can completely end up with a wildly different ending compared to the game and its events. I feel like it would be a bit too sandbox, the world wouldn't create enough friction around the OC character.One thing I do like about this quest is that it gives me a lot of quite wild possibilities to throw at you, while at the same time keeping up the friction between Alric and the world. Not too sandboxy, but not too restrictive either.Oh and who is Ony? It was just Katrana, the really nice, but horny noblewoman who just hadn't had a man for some time.>>5717614That sidestory does sound doable. I need to think about how I would do it. If someone else has a sidestory ideas, please throw them at me.
>>5717637>Manga/animalThis is what I get for phoneposting and not just sharing the internet for my PC. Damned autocorrect!
>>5717637>If someone else has a sidestory ideasA closer look at Taretha's thoughts on Alric and her new life, pregnancy and freedomA Tirion POV could be good. If things continue the same, the events of Blood and Honor are relatively soon, no? I'm kind of curious how he's mulling over what Alric said at the tribunal about orcs and being judged for things you didn't do.Might be a bit spoiler-ish? But Thrall musing during his escape from durnholde, thinking on alric, taretha, blackmoore, humans in general. A more casual look at what's happening in Dawnholme or even elsewhere, like random people discussing Alric's rule and rumours about him in an inn or criminals talking about his treatment of them, that sort of thing.
>>5717637I’d like to know how many QM’s ultimately gave up when reconciling player actions with preexisting setting became too taxing to contemplate. It’s quite a tall order depending on how consistent the writer wants to be…Thanks for bearing with us OP!
>>5717637>>5717495>Does Arthas share the same sentiments as Garithos does? >>5717612>sidestoriesThrall's escape and what he is doing now, or our Brothers POV in the syndicate, or our sisters POV as the Lady Behind the Cloth, Or Alric's wife to be perspective.
>>5717495>>What really is between him and Alric? He really can't stand him at all.
"Arthas, be honest with me, but do you share the same sentiments with Garithos about Alric?" You asked him and looked him into his eyes. "Because what really is between you and Alric? Every time the two of you have met, something has caused friction between the two of you."Arthas didn't say anything immediately as he seemed to be taken back by how direct you were. "Please be honest as I don't want to stand next to two people who I care a lot about not getting along with." You continued and sighed."How would I put it…" He said and put down his utensils. "I do, maybe not as passionately as Garithos does, but I do think that Alterac is going to shake the status quo and cause issues to Lordaeron, to all of us."This time you chose to stay silent and listen."Look Jaina, when me and Alric first met, I would have had him arrested on the spot. You remove the trouble before it can happen, but now it is too late. Alterac has grown too powerful to be just plucked away just like that." Arthas explained to you. "Now you can't do that, so you just have to try to contain and restrict his actions.""So it is all just politics…" You said to him."Politics, thinking about the future, trying to prevent harm and calamity to Lordaeron." Arthas continued his explanation. "Jaina, I believe that Alterac is going to cause an event to happen that will be the end of Lordaeron as we know it. And we aren't in shape to survive it, the Second War caused us to lose too much…"Arthas seemed sincere in his words, but you weren't so sure that was everything."I don't want to lose this, this happiness, my family, my people… or you Jaina." Arthas said."Thanks Arthas." You said back and smiled as that seemed quite sweet of him to say. "But I don’t think you are telling me everything. That doesn't explain why you have to be so antagonising towards Alric. Just this morning in the cemetery…""Enough of Alric please." Arthas retorted. "I don't want to talk about him, not anymore. I just want us to eat this dinner in peace and enjoy each other's company.""But Arthas…""No buts please…"Arthas made it pretty clear to you that he didn't want to continue talking about Alric. You get it, he didn't like Alric so speaking about him was annoying, but if you don't speak, then how can you get over it? The way he had remarked about the poisoning, what if it had been Alric, it bothered you. You don't want to hear anyone talking about your friends like that. You wanted to continue talking, but should you?>This did ruin your mood, apologise to Arthas and go outside for some fresh air. You need to clear your head.>Ask Arthas if he is jealous of Alric and what he has achieved. All the honour, accomplishments and how loyal people are to him.>If you were in Alric's situation, would Arthas treat you as he does Alric?>Does it bother Arthas that you and Alric are good friends?>Drop the subject, you have heard enough. Enjoy a cosy evening with him.>Other, write in.
>>5717697Good sidestory ideas. Thank you, I think I can work with some of them.
>>5717697>Arthas, I'm not talking about Alric. I'm talking about you. It's like you're a completely different person. You don't tell people to their faces you wish they dropped dead normally.
>>5717697> You get it, he didn't like Alric so speaking about him was annoying, but if you don't speak, then how can you get over it? You must force the issue, for their sakes, for YOUR sake. It's all gone too far.I feel like just laying out how Jaina is being affected by this is better than any of these options.>>5717698Here are two more I remembered wanting: Raising little Alric with Norman and Alric and Calia's skimmed over night long conversation.
>>5717697This >>5717700 is a great way to start it though. It's a good retort to the "No talking about Alric" complaint.
>>5717697The end of Lordaeron? A tiny country like Alterac causing it?What the fuck is he even on about?Arthas is just salty at Alric, and he's just trying to find excuses>This did ruin your mood, apologise to Arthas and go outside for some fresh air. You need to clear your head.
>>5717700>>5717697support
>>5717731“As we know it”, he says. In that he’s not wrong, it would be a better Lordaeron, more prosperous and safer at least.Although with his choice to fuck us over without heed to his own subjects could well turn into self fulfilling prophecy where Alric us forced into a more antagonistic stance while the otherwise loyal subjects grow disillusioned and alliance bonds grow stressed.Wages of corruption is misery and discord.
>>5717700>>5717704Supporting both of these
>>5717700Support >>5717704Good sidestories >>5717698Alterac City Siege Escape, i want to see a glance of what was happening there from an Alteracis POV of your choosing. Maybe it could start when we have a nice chat with Normand one day and talk about the past.
You refilled your glass with more wine, took your utensils once more and cut a piece out of the chicken and asparagus to eat them, but you couldn’t let this go."At the cemetery…" You started again, but were quickly interrupted."Jaina, what did I tell you." Arthas said now with a very disappointed tone in his voice. "I don't want to hear about him."You let go of the utensils and allowed them to cling and clang on the plate."Arthas, I'm not talking about Alric. I'm talking about you. I like the Arthas who is kind, compassionate, funny, caring, good at… kissing too." You said, you would have been slightly embarrassed if you weren't concerned already. "But when you are in the same place with Alric, it's like you're a completely different person. You don't normally tell people to their faces that you wish they dropped dead."Arthas listened to you as the concern changed into sadness in your voice. This had gone too far, you had to force the issue for their sake, for your sake."I don't like that Arthas, he isn't the person I have known for years, he isn't the person with whom I could see being for many years to come." You told your boyfriend and continued after a brief pause. "What is truly between you and him? And Arthas be honest with me, for our sake…""I hate him Jaina, I detest him." Arthas finally told you and you knew he was speaking honestly now. "It is as simple as that.""But he hasn't done anything to you?" You had to reply."But he has! I am the Prince of Lordaeron, the Crown Heir of Menethils, but who is the one everyone is talking about? It is him. He did that, he did this, he fought the gnolls with Uther. Guess who wasn’t mentioned. Me, I was there as you know it." Arthas spoke to you and raised his voice slightly, you could hear the anger slithering into his voice. "Maids and clerks and servants, they all talked about him in hushed tones to avoid me hearing them, but I knew who they gossiped and rumourmongered about.""Have you heard what The Alteraci has done?" Arthas imitated one of them before continuing. "Week after week of that. And then when my day arrived, the day when my father could have been proud of me, suddenly he was in Stormwind as well, and who was the person everyone talked about there. Him and him only.""He took my spot Jaina, he beat me in the tournament. I was the one staring at the sun and at the end of the day I had to brush my cloak and clean the armour of the sand, not him." His voice was more quiet now, but the anger was still there. "And since then it has just continued. Successful campaigns, fighting against ogres, having the arguably best armour in the whole Lordaeron."1/2
>>5718143"All of his accomplishments, they should have been mine. The small folk should be talking about me instead, but no. It is all about him, everything is all about him." Arthas said and now just seemed defeated. "And if you want me to be honest, then honest I am. You invited him to Stormwind and I was angry about it, I couldn’t believe that you did it behind my back. And I thought just like he took my spot, he would take you from me as well. I thought that you would choose him over me."It was jealousy, a pretty serious case of jealousy, it was simple like that. You now understand it, why didn't you connect the dots before? Arthas was just jealous and it pushed him to be the Arthas you didn't like. It wasn't just you whose mood was ruined and soured. It was Arthas as well, in fact the atmosphere in the whole room was soured. Neither of you had any appetite anymore."And it hurt me, because I love you Jaina, always have." Arthas told you and let go of his utensils and wiped his mouth, after downing his wine, with a handkerchief. "There, are you happy now? I told you what I think of him. And just like I was honest with you, please be honest with me. Did you ever have feelings for him and what is going on between Calia and him? Jaina, you are her best friend, you know if there is something.">Tell Arthas that Alric and Calia are in a relationship.>Lie to Arthas, the relationship is supposed to be a secret.>Tell Arthas that you had a crush on him, but you didn’t have the time for it to develop into anything more serious. Tell the truth.>Tell Arthas that you are just good friends, there were never feelings between the two of you.>Lie, there was never anything between you and Alric. You were just friends.>Tell Arthas that his jealousy towards Alric has gone too far. And if he is going to stay like this, you aren’t going to like it. Be strict and direct.>Tell Arthas that he is jealous of Alric, but be very supportive and understanding. Tell him that you are there to support him and thank him for speaking the truth.>Tell Arthas that you wish that he could get over it, but you can't force the change in him. It needs to be his decision.>Tell Arthas that you don't want to see or hear about the antagonistic Arthas anymore.>This was too much, you need fresh air to clear your head. You need to think about all this.>Other, write in.How is Jaina feeling about Arthas right now:>Angry>Sad>Disappointed>Disheartened>Let down>Supportive>Understanding>Other, write inQM: Jaina relationship foes. Young love and all its hurdles! The fresh air vote is basically the avoid answering anything option. And choose as many feelings as you want and write more if you have ideas.
>>5718145>Ask Arthas if he's seriously asking you to abuse your friendship with Calia to dig into her privacy?I mean, even if he presses the issue Jaina can tell him that Calia never told her anything that would suggest there's anything between them, but still, telling on best friend to her brother?Also this kind of situation is why I don't like to share our secrets even to people we know we can trust. It can easily put them into difficult situations.>Tell Arthas that you had a crush on him, but you didn’t have the time for it to develop into anything more serious. Tell the truth.I figure Jaina would feel she owes him that much, although I might be wrong... he's probably especially vulnerable right now so she might feel compelled to tell him something he wants to hear. But can a relationship be ever built on lies?As for feelings, I imagine it would be>Sadand>Understandingwith dash of>Supportive (as in getting over it, not encouraging the feeling)after all, Jaina was there at the tourney.>Thank Arthas for being honest about his feelings. You will overcome them together, be supportive.and maybe>Assure him that you value him for the qualities you know he has, not for what maids or clerks say.Besides, isn't being a Paladin all about always striving to do the right thing, regardless if it's popular or pleasant? (>inb4 cooking infected peasants); don't bring that up though, would probably come across as manipulative.
>>5718145Hm. We certainly opened a can of worms here.>Tell Arthas that Alric and Calia are in a relationship.If Arthas loves Jaina more than he hates Alric, he would keep this a secret (not as Alric's secret but as Jaina's).>Tell Arthas that you had a crush on him, but you didn’t have the time for it to develop into anything more serious. Tell the truth.Arthas has been honest and revealed his vulnerabilities. Obviously emphasise that she chose Arthas, not because he was a consolation prize, but because she loves him and sincerely wants to have a relationship with him.>Tell Arthas that he is jealous of Alric, but be very supportive and understanding. Tell him that you are there to support him and thank him for speaking the truth.Jaina should tell Arthas that he needs to stop comparing himself to Alric, as it's clearly hurting Arthas to think that way and it's hurting her with how it is changing his behavior. Remind Arthas that he's already special in her eyes. Also, Arthas doesn't have to like Alric, but they're both princes and it would be better for everyone if they can at least get along and not be at each other's throats. Remind Arthas that he has accomplished a lot, like becoming a paladin of the Silver Hand, and that Arthas has her as his girlfriend which is something Alric doesn't have.>Sad>Supportive>UnderstandingOverall, be sincere and direct with Arthas.
>>5718169I'll maybe add to my vote... I feel Jaina would feel compelled to be honest with Arthas, but that would end where Calia's privacy is involved.So in conclusion, first there'd be somewhat embarrassed admission that she did fancied Alric when she saw him do his stuff, first.But when (or if, as I can imagine that first reply could well end the conversation with him storming off with an "I fucking knew it") Arthas presses for dirt on his sister, she could reply to the effect of: "Arthas, I can tell you anything about me, but even if Calia did confide something like that to me, I would have no right to breach that trust by telling you."
>>5718145>>5718195Supporting this, but don't tell Arthas about Alric and Calia. It is supposed to be a secret. Otherwise be completely honest about everything else.>>5718235You have a good point, but I wouldn't even risk Arthas finding our answer dodgy and then putting one plus one together. Because if he thinks our answer is dodgy, it paints everything else dodgy as well.
>>5718266I suspect Arthas is going to press Jaina for an answer on the Calia question. I think deflection or insisting it's a secret, basically anything short of an outright lie like "I don't know anything", is going to confirm Arthas' suspicions. If that's the case, then Arthas could assume, with the rumours going around, that Calia is just another conquest for Alric and that Jaina, by acting evasive, is being manipulated to cover for him.Hope to be wrong, of course.
>>5718145>Lie to Arthas, the relationship is supposed to be a secret.>Tell Arthas that you had a crush on him, but you didn’t have the time for it to develop into anything more serious. Tell the truth.>Tell Arthas that he is jealous of Alric, but be very supportive and understanding. Tell him that you are there to support him and thank him for speaking the truth.>Disappointed>Let down>Understanding
>>5718145This >>5718195 but say that you don't know anything going on between Alric and Calia. Honesty is important but not sharing secrets that were told in confidence supercedes that.
>>5718145>Lie to Arthas, the relationship is supposed to be a secret.>Tell Arthas that you had a crush on him, but you didn’t have the time for it to develop into anything more serious. Tell the truth.>Tell Arthas that his jealousy towards Alric has gone too far. And if he is going to stay like this, you aren’t going to like it. Be strict and direct.>Disappointed>Sad>Let down
>>5718145Actually, I'll add this>Tell Arthas that his jealousy towards Alric has gone too far. And if he is going to stay like this, you aren’t going to like it. Be strict and direct.To my >>5718392 vote. There needs to be a carrot AND a stick, Jaina is willing to support him but the he's been behaving is unacceptable.
>>5717650>A more casual look at what's happening in Dawnholme or even elsewhere, like random people discussing Alric's rule and rumours about him in an innSIDESTORYAn Evening in Tarren Mill"I'm tellin' you, that man is a scoundrel." Older woman said to a man sitting at the next table over. "But in a good way I say.""Good way? You are hopeless if ya think he will ever glance at ya old hag." The man laughed at the suggestion. "He has standards.""No need for arguing sister." The other woman said and tried to keep the older one calm."Standards or not, he could have anyone he wants." Another man said and kept cleaning his pipe."He is right, scoundrel he isn't, but a dashing rogue meltin' hearts of all ladies 'ere and elsewhere." The third and youngest woman of the trio mused aloud. Leaning on her hand and spinning her long blonde hair around her fingers, she was clearly dreaming about something… or someone."Now you are in the clouds." The older woman replied and laughed."What is in the clouds?" Monica asked them as she brought the steaming hot meat pies to the table. "Here you go, three pies as ordered.""Her head, she thinks our Alteraci Prince is some dashing rogue. She is wrong, he is a scoundrel." The older woman answered and gave Monica the copper coins for the pies. "And thank you Miss Sengutz.""Miss Monica, aren't you a friend of his?" The man with the pipe asked."Yeah, I guess we get along pretty well." Monica answered and scratched the back of her head."Then what do you think, is he a scoundrel or a dashin' rogue?" The older woman asked her.The inn was otherwise mostly empty, it was already late at night and the most merry of her customers had already left or passed out, leaving just the five of them who had nothing else to do there. Monica shrugged and sighed, well she had nothing better to do now so why not indulge her customers' wants for rumours."Neither, Prince Alric is not a scoundrel or a dashing rogue." Monica said to them and continued with a laugh. "I would say that he is a charming and chivalrous chevalier.""Ooooh we have an admirer." The older woman said and winked. "You sure the two of you are just friends?""Friede, we are just friends." Monica blurted out immediately. "A boy and a girl can be friends without it meaning that they are sharing the same bed… but you talk about it so much that it feels like it is something you don't know anything about."The second woman started to laugh at that as did the two men."Hear that… hahaha… ya pushed yar luck Friede!" The first man laughed and wiped away tears from his eyes. "All talk, no action!""Oh shut up you mouldy dick. All of you shut up. When he comes to continue his campaign, I swear I will warm his bed!" Friede the older woman said."Not if I get there before!" The youngest woman said back. "He will choose me over an old hag like you."1/2
>>5718493Monica had smartly stepped aside and let them continue their argument about who gets to warm Alric's bed. Since the rumours had arrived to Tarren Mill about him and his multiple women, it had been everything the town's folk had been talking about. And this annoyed Monica greatly, she knew better, she knew that Alric wasn't like that. And because Alric had sent her a letter before the rumours had arrived, she had been ready for them. This wasn’t the first time Monica had to deny the rumours. Near immediately people had started to poke her and at one point she was so frustrated that she nearly threw everyone out of the inn! Thankfully she didn't do that and instead just put on a happy face and braved the scene of rumour hungry town's folk.Damnit Alric, what he had been doing to get rumours like that to spread? He said in the letter that they are just rumours, but something must have started them and most rumours are based on truths. Did he really have a lady in every town he visits? Monica sighed. She would ask Alric what was really going on the next time she met him. And if there was some truth to the rumours, she would try her luck the second time!It is decided! None of those women were the ones to warm his bed, it was Monica who would do it. That is if the rumours were true in the first place…>>5717704>Alric and Calia's skimmed over night long conversation.I require more details, what kind of things you would like to hear?Actual update next!
"I had a crush on him and he liked me as well." You told Arthas before sighing deeply and looking down briefly. "But we didn't have the time for it to develop any further. In Stormwind we spent an afternoon together, but come the time for his visit to Dalaran to retrieve his armour you had already asked me out.""I see…" Arthas said and digested what he just heard."He is a nice guy, be it a different time and place then yeah we could have maybe been a thing, but that wasn't what happened and I am glad it didn't, because I would have missed being you. " You told him and continued. "But for Calia and him, I don’t know.""You don't know?" Arthas asked you. He seemed sceptical."They are friends, which doesn't surprise me at all. Both of them want to be friends with everyone they meet and neither had that many friends while they grew up." You told him something that was true, neither Alric or Calia had that many friends of their age. But after that you continued with your lying. "Calia is my best friend and I have told her everything personal. She hasn't said anything to me about Alric. And he hasn't said anything about Calia to me either.""Jaina, are you sure about that?" Arthas said back."I am, I don’t believe that there is more than normal friendship between them." You lied to Arthas. It was better to keep all of this a secret. You had made the promise to both Calia and Alric to not tell anyone else.Arthas closed his eyes for a couple of seconds before he opened them again and gave you a nod."Thank you, thank you for telling me the truth." He said to you. He was going to continue, but you interrupted him."But don't think that I am not disappointed in you. Your jealousy towards Alric has to stop." You said with a strict tone in your voice before continuing with a way softer and gentle one. "Stop comparing yourself to Alric, because it is hurting you, your self-esteem and it is hurting me to see you behave like that towards him. You don't have to do the comparisons and be better than him, because you are already special in my eyes."Arthas seemed to be a bit taken back by how you had interrupted him and didn't know what to say."You don't have to like him, I can’t ask or demand it from you nor can I ask you to apologise for all of this, but the two of you are Princes and heirs, and it would be good for all of us if you could get along and not be on each other's throats." You told Arthas who kept listening and changed your tone to a stricter one again. "I want to support you and be at your side, but if this continues it would be hard for me to do it. It is unacceptable behaviour."Arthas seemed shocked to hear that as you put it out like that. Frankly you were sad and disappointed. You were let down by his behaviour and Arthas recognised it as you let your shoulders slump.1/2
>>5718497"You have achieved so much already and what the servants and maids say is irrelevant to all of this. Let them peddle rumours and think that they are so much more wiser that way, but they don't know one thing you have that Alric doesn't." You said to him."What is it?" Arthas asked you."Me, you have me, you dummy." You said and smiled.He chuckled and smiled back. That seemed to get you over the proverbial hill."I will try to be a better man Jaina, if you promise… if you can support me and be by my side." Arthas said and smiled. "I will support you and be by your side." You told him back. "Because I want to be there."Arthas stood up from the table and walked around it to get to you. You stood up as well and as he reached for your hands, you allowed him to take them."I am sorry Jaina for acting like I have. I don't know if I can apologise to him or ever like him, but I will try to be the Arthas you want me to be. The one that is kind and caring." Arthas said."Arthas, thank you, this means a lot to me." You said back to him. "But it didn't bring back my appetite."Arthas laughed."Neither did it bring mine. Well it is already getting late and we need to get up early to see some battleships and shake hands." Arthas said to you. "Will you join me for a glass of wine or do you have something else in mind?">Join Arthas for a glass of wine before going to your own room and bed.>Decline the wine, you have already drunk a bit too much. Go to your room and sleep.>You are worried about Alric, go find him and check on him. Being angry is not good for anyone.>Other, write in.>Give a goodnight kiss>Don't give a goodnight kissQM: Young love and its hurdles were safely passed and crossed.
>>5718499>Join Arthas for a glass of wine before going to your own room and bed.>Give a goodnight kiss
>>5718499>>Decline the wine, you have already drunk a bit too much. Go to your room and sleep.don't want to have hangover before the soldiers, sailors and marines>>Give a goodnight kissI guess this went better than I feared it might
>>5718499>Decline the wine, you have already drunk a bit too much. Go to your room and sleep.there is work to do, don't forget it !>Give a goodnight kissgood arthas. sort of>>5718494Damn this relationship with Calia is not getting any easier
>>5718494> I require more details, what kind of things you would like to hear?Alric telling his stories to Calia with her giving light commentary to them. The point being to show their chemistry.>>5718499>Decline the wine, you have already drunk a bit too much. Go to your room and sleep.>Give a goodnight kiss>>5718519> I guess this went better than I feared it might.That's twice in a row now.
>>5718499>Decline the wine, you have already drunk a bit too much. Go to your room and sleep.>Give a goodnight kiss
>>5718589>That's twice in a row nowIndeed, well, better than the other way around
"I can't, I have already drank too much and it would be better if we just went to sleep." You said to Arthas and smiled. "Just like you said, we have battleships to shake and hands to see."Arthas chuckled at your wordplay and nodded in agreement."Yeah… you are right. Then we will see tomorrow." He said to you and let go of your hands. "Good night Jaina.""Arthas… wait…"He was taller than you so you had to get on your toes as you took hold of his collar and pulled him closer to give him a long kiss."Good night Arthas." You said as you pulled away from the kiss.This was the Arthas you liked a lot. The one who was kind and caring, funny and protective.And good at kissing too.…You are Prince Alric Perenolde…But you wish you weren't Prince Alric Perenolde right now, because he was having one monster headache."Oh fel…" You muttered as you gripped on your pillow with two hands as you tried to keep the world from not spinning.You felt absolutely dreadful, just completely done, obliterated and mangled. This was the worst hangover you ever have had.Last evening after the meeting you had told Malevus that you needed a drink. And then things escalated a bit when you found your knights in one of the taverns and then…Oh blasted fel fuck shit… and then happened something you have no memories of. You would feel embarrassed and worried if your mind and body was capable of that. Rolling to your side, the light from a window hit your face and making the mistake of opening your eyes, you were instantly blinded and rolled as fast as you could back to your side of the bed. The sun was up, it was way up. It wasn't morning anymore.Then you realised that you were naked, completely naked, not even braies to cover your privates. What the fel had happened last night?Carefully pushing yourself up while avoiding the reaction to empty your stomach, you surveyed the guestroom. Tari was nowhere to be seen and neither were your clothes. Cinder Sword leaned against a wall next to your armour, but there really was no sign of the arming jacket, trousers, boots, shirt or your braies.Where were your clothes?>Call for Tari or someone to help you. Surely someone is in the house.>Wrap the blanket or something around you and leave the room to find out what is going on and where everyone is.>Search your travel chest, it should have your spare clothes in it.>Fall back into the bed in defeat. You feel absolutely dreadful, sooner than later someone will come to check on you.>Other, write in.
>>5719008ffs Anons let Alric for one evening and he lets himself go like this.>Cover yourself with a blanket or something and dig into our stuff in search for spare clothesmiscreants better not have absconded with our armour, we're going to need it.
>>5719008>Search your travel chest, it should have your spare clothes in it.
>>5719008>>Wrap the blanket or something around you and leave the room to find out what is going on and where everyone is.>>Search your travel chest, it should have your spare clothes in it.Search clothes and then search people
>>5719008>Wrap the blanket or something around you and leave the room to find out what is going on and where everyone is.>Search your travel chest, it should have your spare clothes in it.Alric Drunk posting Feasting was needed it seems
>>5719008>Search your travel chest, it should have your spare clothes in it.Do the anon hivemind have to babysit you all the time Alric?
>>5719008>>Search your travel chest, it should have your spare clothes in it.
Searching your travel chest and then wrapping blankets and whatever around you wins. Give me a roll for things to happen. And is rolling high really the best thing to happen? We will see!>1d100, best of three>DCs 20, 40, 60 and 80
Rolled 78 (1d100)>>5719302
Rolled 71 (1d100)>>5719302
Rolled 22 (1d100)>>5719302
>78!Give me another roll!>1d20, Best of three>DC 15, 20
>>5719347And I meant 3d10 and not 1d20! What was I thinking! QM is tired!>3d10, Best of three>DC 15, 20
Rolled 6, 10, 8 = 24 (3d10)>>5719347
Rolled 8, 8, 7 = 23 (3d10)>>5719347>>5719348
Rolled 9, 4, 10 = 23 (3d10)>>5719348
Alright, your travel chest should have your spare clothes. You hadn’t planned on staying in Southshore more than a couple of days so you didn’t take your full wardrobe with you, but you had a set of spare clothes.Pushing yourself up from the bed and on the floor, your feet landed on a bare floor. Strange, you could swear that there was a carpet there before. Someone had also put a bucket next to the bed on the floor, how thoughtful of them.Getting on your feet, you had to take a couple of seconds to keep yourself together and after several deep breaths you managed to stabilise yourself.The travel chest was right there and when you walked to it, you realised that someone had opened it. And when you opened it and started searching for your spare clothes, you didn’t find anything. Not your spare shirt or your spare braies, just your spare socks which to be honest didn’t help you much.Where in the fel were your clothes?Thankfully someone had brought fresh water into the room and you drank a cup and washed your face before thinking what would you do next? You would have to go and search for help, or for someone who could help you. First of all you needed something to cover you.You looked around the room and only spotted your chaperon that you quickly put on your head which really didn’t help you at all, but it was at least something. Next you put on your spare socks which really did fuck all, but hey it was at least something. Outside of that, it was the extent of clothes you could find so you turned towards the bed to find a solution. The bed sheet.Pulling it off, you spread it in front of you. You flung one corner of it over your shoulder while wrapping the rest of it around your waist and tucking it underneath your arm. Finally you tied the corner and what remained of the bed sheet behind your shoulder for a very makeshift dress for you to wear.This would do and while the hammering headache didn’t make you enjoy the moment, you felt like you had accomplished something great. You were dressed, somewhat, and now it was time to go find someone to help you. Though before you did that, you took the blanket and threw it around your shoulders, you felt like you wanted to cover yourself as best as you can.…>78, Success?>24, Success???Keeping the blanket around you, you left the guestroom and looked around. There was no one in the hallway and you didn’t hear anything from the second floor of Beric’s house.“Is there anyone here?” You asked carefully and received no answer. You didn’t hear anyone answer or make any sound so you started to creep slowly down the stairs. You still didn’t see or spot anyone.Momentarily you had to stop midway down to take a deep breath to get your bearings before you headed down.“Anyone?” You asked once more and received no answer before you heard some chatter coming from the living room.1/2
>>5719374There were more than one person there and as you approached the room, you wrapped the blanket around you better to make sure the sigils wouldn’t be seen.Pushing open the door, the chatter inside stopped as you saw the first person in the room.“Taretha, where are my clothes?” You asked as you stepped in and saw who else was in the room.Joining Tari was your squire Malevus and your friend Jaina Proudmoore.“Hi Alric.” Jaina said to you.“Hi… Jaina…” You said somewhat carefully. “Why are you here? And Tari, where are my clothes?”Suddenly your makeshift bed sheet wrapping started to get loose and you scrambled to catch it before it completely unravelled before the womenfolk. Catching it and wrapping yourself even tighter with the blanket, you quickly sat down on a couch to prevent any loose skin to be shown to people around.“My clothes, where?”“Well umm… It is a long story.” Tari said somewhat embarrassingly.She was embarrassed while Jaina tried to hold her laughter and Malevus tried to keep herself steady. Ahh so you see, Malevus was hungover as well. That could explain the events of last night a bit.A sudden wave of nausea hit you and you had to keep yourself together while feeling dreadful. At least you had managed to keep yourself covered with the bed sheet and blanket, outside of that you really didn’t feel like winning.>Have Tari tell you where your clothes are?>Have Malevus tell you what in the fel happened last night?>Have Jaina tell you why she is here today?>Other, write in.QM: The rolls were to see your visitors and if you could catch all of your makeshift wrappings.
>>5719376>>Have Jaina tell you why she is here today?
>>5719376By the Light, we bring shame to both Garsides and Perenoldes for being a lightweight. Well, what's done is done.>Have Tari procure some clothes we can take>Ask Jaina what brings her here, and incidentally if she has any additional context to offer for this situationinb4 the new arc begins "dude, where's Aurvan'kal" where we tour entire eastern kingdoms from Silvermoon to Booty Bay only to return back to SouthshoreOh and maybe let Malevus rest for now, we can get the lurid details from her later, if she remembers.Hmm... I wonder if this would be a good time to talk to Jaina about magic. On one hand we can trust her, on the other... we don't want her to be forced to choose between lying to her teachers or ratting us out to the magocrats. Probably better to keep it to ourselves.
>>5719383Aurvan'kal is safely in your room thankfully, just everything else is missing from trousers to shirts and jackets. After all you did leave for the meeting without your armour on.
>>5719387shh shhh shhh spoiling the ending like thatjust kidding, at least that's one less thing to worry about
>>5719393Don't tempt me like that to add more fun to all of this. Who knows what Alric has done last night!
>>5719376>Have Tari tell you where your clothes are?
>>5719395At least now we know what to be wary of next time we are seen to cede perspective...
>>5719376>Have Tari tell you where your clothes are?Once we are properly dressed:>Have Malevus tell you what in the fel happened last night?>Have Jaina tell you why she is here today?>>5719395Drunke misadventures can be fun and all but I hope this doesn't include deviating from Alric's character without player input yeah? Railroading Alric into drunkenly sleeping with Taretha, for instance, would be real bullshit.
I really hope our drunken actions won't turn into a series of comedic events directed by Todd Phillips
>>5719405>>5719376support
“Tari…where are my clothes?” You asked as all three women looked at you. Or more precisely they looked at this bundle of bed sheets and a blanket.“It is complicated…” She answered.“Then tell me how it is complicated?” You said back to her.“Well… you had managed to pour a pint of beer on your clothes.” Tari said to you while Malevus and Jaina watched you. “So when Lady Malevus brought you here, I couldn’t allow you to go to sleep in beer stained clothes.”Well that was embarrassing.“Then where are my spare clothes…” You asked her and fought back the want to empty your guts again.“Well… after I got you to your room and got you to strip off your clothes and change into the spare clothes.” Tari told you. “Don’t worry, I looked away… your stomach had enough and you puked on yourself…”Oh… well that was really embarrassing. Jaina was barely holding herself together as she listened to this.“Then I took them off and you did what?” You asked back.“I wiped the puke off you with a damp rag… don’t worry I didn’t see anything on purpose…” Tari told you and continued. “And then I got you in bed and sleeping…”Well… things couldn’t have gone any more worse.“So my clothes are in?”“Being dried, I washed them this morning along with the carpet.” Tari said to you while Jaina barely kept her laughter in and Malevus was just holding herself together.“Alright, well that was embarrassing. That is if I could remember anything about it.” You said and took a few deep breaths. “Malevus, what happened last night?”Your elven squire gave you a look of despair and anguish as she held her own hangover together.“Prince Alric, you told me that you wanted to have a drink.” Malevus said to you.“I remember that, but after that… after finding the knights…” You asked back.“The five of you had a drinking competition, an unofficial one.” Malevus said to you.“And?”“And you outdrank them.” Malevus told you. “You asked me to sing as well…”Jaina couldn’t hold herself together anymore as she started laughing at the situation and what had happened last night.“So let me get this straight Alric… yesterday you went for a drink, bumped into your knights, had an impromptu drinking competition, beat everyone in it.” Jaina said to you between her laughter. “You tipped a pint on your clothes, your squire carried you back home and before going to sleep you puked on yourself?”You sighed deeply before you could answer.“Well, ask the two of them.” You said back to her and nodded at Tari and Malevus.Jaina just laughed, while Tari seemed sheepish and Malevus just barely held herself together. What a trio of women you were surrounded with.“Jaina, why are you here?” You asked her.1/2
>>5719539“Because I wanted to see if you were alright.” Jaina said to you after regaining her composure. “The meeting yesterday… Alric I was worried about you, but I don’t think I needed to be worried… seems like you had plenty of fun last night.”That was quite thoughtful really.“Thanks Jaina… but Tari, could you get us tea or something. I am feeling dreadful and Malevus looks like she will become an undead any second now.”…Tari did as told and quickly arranged the four of you some hot tea to drink. While it wasn’t much, herbal tea did calm your stomach. She had also acquired you a spare spare braies that you had put on after you had asked everyone to leave the room for a moment.“I didn’t really expect to talk to you like this.” You said to Jaina as you sipped your tea while gripping the bed sheets and blanket covering you.“Neither did I expect to see you like this.” Jaina said and chuckled. “Arthas would love to see you like this, the invincible all-mighty Alric being hungover and showing vulnerability.”Arthas would love to see you like this, you were sure about it. He had something against you and you weren’t exactly sure what.“Jaina, why are you here? I mean, I appreciate your concern, but it can’t be only that.” You asked her.“Oh…oh!” Malevus suddenly said and got everyone’s attention. “Now I get it.”“Get what?” You asked as yet another interruption to the conversation presented itself as Malevus started to reach the colour of her red hair. “Have you read your romance books one too many times?”Malevus was embarrassed, her face was just as red as her hair.“I know what kind of a woman Prince Alric likes.” Malevus mumbled and buried her face in her hands.Tari and Jaina looked at each other and then they too realised it before looking at you.“What?” You asked back.Jaina looked at Tari and nodded knowingly while looking at the hungover and suffering Malevus and the tortured existence that was you.“Long blond hair.” Malevus mumbled while approaching the colour of the flag of Stromgarde.It took you a couple of seconds to put things together. Jaina had long blond hair, Tari had long blond hair and Calia had long blond hair. Pinching the bridge of your nose, you really couldn’t deny it either. Three was a pattern.Jaina started laughing again, while Tari meanwhile was embarrassed. You wondered what the three of them had been talking about before you stumbled into the room.“Alright Malevus, no more romance books for you.” You said to her somewhat annoyed. “But really… this time no interruptions please… why are you here?”“Alric, you tell me.” Jaina said as she hadn’t managed to regain her composure.>Jaina was here just to check on you.>Jaina was here because she wanted to tell you something about the meeting>Jaina was here so that she could speak with you about Calia in private>Jaina was here so that you could reveal that you were learning magic to her>Other, write in.>>5719405I am not that mean!
>>5719541>Jaina was here just to check on you.
>>5719541>>Jaina was here so that you could reveal that you were learning magic to her
>>5719541> Jaina was here because she wanted to tell you something about the meeting> Jaina was here so that she could speak with you about Calia in private> Jaina was here so that you could reveal that you were learning magic to herI know it may be greedy but all of these are quite interesting to me. Plus we haven't talked to Jaina in a while so why not take this opportunity to converse with her at length?> I am not that mean!Glad to be on the same page.
>By the way, Jaina, I'm learning magic.>Really? Just theoretically or practically? >Both.>Are you sure that's a good idea, Alric? It's quite the commitment and there are many risks involved. Who's your teacher?>A woman named Nalice. I don't really know all that much about her, but she does seem very knowledgeable about the arcane... and all things fel and void. Oh, and I'm also getting help from a delightful warlock named Eligius. >A mysterious woman and a warlock. Interesting.>Yes, but don't worry, Jaina. They've just had me do this ritual that's restricted by the organisation you're associated with and have painted my body to help me channel arcane energies and supercharge me with mana.>I see I was concerned over nothing. You're in good hands, Alric. I'm sure nothing could go wrong.>>5719541Going to support all but the magic thing... unless Medivh intends for the conversation to just be at a high level without going into specifics.
>>5719541>Well I suppose you were concerned about how I stormed off that ridiculous meeting… unless…>…there’s something I wanted to ask you about, but I don’t want to put you into a difficult situationJaina is a treasure so I’m kind of worried if us getting her into trouble.Another thing is that Nalice is actually around so we may end up having discussion with her. Not that she could dictate who we trust, but still.
>>5719541>>Jaina was here because she wanted to tell you something about the meetingCome to think of it, Arthas also has long blond hair...
>>5719659And Kael'thas. Don't go there.
I am counting six votes with half of them going with bringing up magic. So I will split that into its own separate vote as telling about your studies to Jaina is and could be a big thing. Alric is smart enough to not tell her about Eligius or about the more sketchy details.>Tell Jaina that you have started to study magic.>Don't tell Jaina about the magic.>>5719659>>5719660Two of you make a good point!
>>5719688>>Don't tell Jaina about the magic.no magic talks
>>5719688>>Don't tell Jaina about the magic.Why would she need to know?
>>5719688>>Don't tell Jaina about the magic.probably for the best. The risks, mostly for her, are too great.
>>5719688>Don't tell Jaina about the magic.i mean be honest if she herself brings it up but she doesnt really need to know.
>>5719688>>Don't tell Jaina about the magic.
Unanimous decision. No update today, I am way too knackered to concentrate on writing.
“I would like to talk with Jaina in private.” You said to Tari. “If you don’t mind…”“Not a problem Alric, come Malevus let’s get you something to eat and drink.” Tari said and went to lead your squire out of the room closing the door behind her.“You have found a quite interesting person to join you.” Jaina said.“Taretha? Yeah, she is my friend.” You said back and gripped the blanket around you. “But back to why you are here? Well, you want to talk about the meeting?”“It was a farce, wasn’t it.” Jaina said to you and shook her head. “What was Garithos thinking?”You opted to shrug as a sudden wave of nausea hit you.“Well last night I talked with Arthas and he said that there is plenty of support for Garithos and his opinions. I don’t think he will get out of this without a reprimand, but his position probably isn’t in danger.” Jaina told you and sighed.“I will have to respond.” You said back to her.“I know, you can’t walk back your words.” Jaina said and rubbed her brow. Neither of you really liked the situation.“Calia? How is she?” You asked her.“She seemed fine, feeling much better, but still a bit tired.” Jaina told you and smiled. “We were in Capital City for a couple of days during the Winter Veil. It was really fun to visit the city and see her.”“Did she… say anything? We have been just exchanging letters…” You said and longing creeped into your voice.“She misses you Alric.” Jaina told you and smiled.Hearing this, even if by second hand, made your heart melt and the awful feeling you had faded away for a moment.“But she knows that seeing you would be difficult to arrange, so she will wait for your letters.” Jaina continued.“Thanks Jaina… thank you.”“Glad to help you.” Jaina said.You sipped your tea for a moment before you were going to say something.“Jaina…”“Yes Alric?”“Nothing… nothing important, just… thank you once again.” You said to your friend.You thought about telling her about learning magic, but that wouldn’t be smart. It would put Jaina into a tough position by merely knowing about it and her connection to Dalaran could cause issues to both of you.“Alric, now you are just flattering me.” Jaina said and chuckled. “Or is it my hair that has stunned you?”“Jaina please, not you as well…” You groaned aloud as Jaina laughed.“Well I have to say that you have a good taste.” Jaina laughed and stood up. “I won’t tease you anymore, what you need is rest, because you look quite awful.”1/2
>>5720301“I know.” You groaned again. “Thanks for visiting Jaina.”“We might leave tomorrow, so we probably won't meet again.” Jaina said. “So if we don’t, then it was nice to see you Alric.”“It was good to see you as well Jaina.” You said to her.As Jaina was leaving, she stopped before the door and turned around. She had a cheeky grin on her face.“Hmmm… Kael’thas has long blond hair as well… So does Arthas…” Jaina said and tried to stifle her laughter.You could only groan……Jaina had left after apologising for her joke and you had shuffled back up stairs and jumped back into the bed. Tari had brought you food and most importantly your washed and dried clothes. After eating something and having dressed up, you felt at least a bit alive.“Beric told me that he would be busy with some business today.” Tari said to you as she brushed your hair. It was still only just an afternoon, so you had time for something. “What are you going to do?”>Go find Beric to talk about the meetings and trade with Durnholde.>Go find your knights and learn exactly what you did last night.>You aren’t still feeling that good about going out. Stay inside and ask Tari about the last night and what she talked about with Jaina.>Other, write in.
>>5720302>Go find Beric to talk about the meetings and trade with Durnholde.Maybe we shold talk to Nalice and Eligius as well, if they picked up anything interesting - or conversely are planning to do something that would require our authorisation (or denial)Also if Taretha really is as talented as he claims, perhaps we should find a better position for her than just a servant.
>>5720302>Go find Beric to talk about the meetings and trade with Durnholde.
>>5720302>>Go find Beric to talk about the meetings and trade with Durnholde.
“I should go and find Beric… after all I have business to talk with him.” You said to Tari. “Did he tell you where he would be going?”“To the docks, he mentioned the warehouses?” Tari seemed slightly unsure about it.“That is good enough, he won’t be that difficult to find.” You said. “But what exactly did you calculate for him to call you a ‘treasure’?”“Ohh well, just some numbers.” Tari downplayed and tried to be humble.“What numbers?”“Oh just some profit margins…” Tari continued to be humble.Huh, that isn’t exactly the easiest of maths. Maybe you could test how good Tari really is? Maybe you could delegate your paperwork for her to handle and get a lot more freetime that way?“Alric, you are staring at the opposite wall, what are you thinking?” Tari asked you.“Ehh, nothing important.” You said and let her finish brushing your hair.…You had dragged the quite unenthusiastic Malevus with you to the docks. Several Royal Foot Guards trailed behind you keeping their eyes open.You had thought that fresh air would be good for her, but at least immediately there was no sign in Malevus regaining her strength. Her hair was still a mess and she seemed more like a ghoul not like an elven warrior, or a noblewoman in her case. You knew that she was a lightweight when it came to beer, but how much did she really drunk to be this hungover?Finding Beric wasn’t that hard just like you had thought. The “tall gnome” of a man in his usual long jacket was easily spotted amongst merchants and longshoremen. Out of pure courtesy, you stayed back and let him finish whatever discussions he had with the men. When the merchants and longshoremen had left, you finally approached your trader.“Prince Alric, look who's up.” Beric said to you and gave a courteous nod. “I thought you had drunk yourself into stupor.”“My stuporness has been exaggerated.” You said and gave him a tired smile.“Doesn’t matter, man’s gotta drink sometimes.” Beric said back. “Let’s go somewhere private, and most importantly warm. It is bloody cold out here.”1/2
>>5720581You followed Beric back to his warehouse that had acted as his home previously.“Has Karramyn Langston spoken with you?” You asked him.“Yes, earlier this morning. What a sleazy feeling man he is.” Beric said and was as straight as usual.“I won’t disagree, but he is a hardworking man.” You said back to Beric. “You can work with him. He does respect me quite a lot so my name does have plenty of weight.”“I can work with that. We did have some preliminary talks and I will leave to go visit them next week. Before that I will visit the naval base, see what they need or want.” Beric told you.“Good, Durnholde could be an important trade partner for us, so don’t mess this up.” You said to him. “And if needed, keep Blackmoore lubricated.”Beric smiled at those words and knew what you meant. He, like everyone else, knew the background and reputation of Blackmoore.“Anything else Prince Alric?” Beric asked you.>The Invasion of Strahnbrad Hills requires more supplies, can Beric acquire them for you?>Ask what did Taretha calculate in her head for him to call you to “treasure her”?>Tell Beric about the meeting and the future changes in Southshore, ask what he does think about them?>Order him to be in contact with Eligius, Beric must have contacts that could be useful with Eligius and his position as a spymaster.>Other, write in.
>>5720583>>The Invasion of Strahnbrad Hills requires more supplies, can Beric acquire them for you?
>>5720583>Ask what did Taretha calculate in her head for him to call you to “treasure her”?
>>5720583>Discuss the future changes with elevated alliance military presence.Although maybe not all has been decided, maybe he has an insight to share on the topic>Ask about Taretha's talentsIt would be funny if it turned out we've poached a savant analyst that Blackmoore has been wasting as a sex toy. And if people underestimate her because of stigma she'll possibly have to contend with, even better.Maybe mention the supplies, too, although I'm not sure if we need to pressure him too much with that.
>>5720583>The Invasion of Strahnbrad Hills requires more supplies, can Beric acquire them for you?>Ask what did Taretha calculate in her head for him to call you to “treasure her”?
“Strahnbrad Hills.” You said to him.“Supply train needs more supplies?” Beric asked you.“You are right.”“Arms?”“No, food and general supplies mostly.”“I will see what I can scrounge together, though don’t expect miracles.”“I will expect miracles, I know what you can do Beric.”“Don’t put that pressure on me Prince Alric.”“I will!”Beric didn’t say anything back to you other than sighing deeply.“I will do what I can.” He said to you. “Anything else? Do you want me to conjure dwarven mortars next?”“Can you?”“Of course not!”You chuckled as did Beric.“Well, I did wonder what you talk about with Taretha Foxton? Especially why should I treasure her?” You asked him. “What did she do?”Beric gave you a curious look before speaking.“You don’t know?” He asked you. “I mean Prince Alric, if you appreciate her in other ways… I won’t judge you…”“Beric…” You said back and gave him the look of ‘cut the shit’. You knew what he was implying.“Alright, alright.” Beric said and continued. “We talked about the silver trade and she asked how much we trade to Stormwind. I gave her some basic numbers and she was awfully close to what we make in profit.” That was quite impressive.“So I gave her more numbers, more details about the trade and she got it all.” Beric said to you. “She is smart, bloody smart. More than just a mistress, you gotta understand it.”“I get it.” You said back.Maybe you should seriously think about giving Tari some more responsibilities if Beric is this sure about them.…You continued talking with Beric for some time, mostly about the trade and what to expect. He would be visiting, as he said, Durnholde and the Alliance Naval Base, but he was also planning on visiting Stormwind City to talk with the merchants there proper. That could be an interesting opportunity for you and for him.When it was time for you to leave it was already an early evening and Malevus seemed to have regained some of her strength. Now though you still had time to visit or seek out someone before it was too late.>Go find Eligius and Nalice, see what they have been doing.>Go talk with Tirion Fordring, he should still be in the city.>Go find Arthas, speaking with him personally could be useful.>You should go and talk with the Malebs one more time. See how they are and what they think about the changing of the guard.>Other, write in.
>>5720691>Go talk with Tirion Fordring, he should still be in the city.
>>5720691>>Go talk with Tirion Fordring, he should still be in the city.>make a mental note to have a talk with Tari to be trained in quartermastery and trade.
The Silver Hand, they were still in the city. Which meant that you could maybe have a meeting with Tirion Fordring.“Malevus?” You asked her.“Yes Prince Alric?” Your squire answered somewhat unenthusiastically.“What do you think about going to see the Silver Hand and Lord Fordring?” You asked her.That suddenly got energy in her.“That sounds splendid.” Malevus said to you.“Sorry for bringing you out, I thought you needed some fresh air.” You said to your squire.“Thank you Prince Alric, I did need it.” Malevus said it. “Everything in moderation, right Prince Alric?”“I don’t think either of us followed it closely.”“We didn’t.”…Silver Hand had their tents up within the city square and as you approached them, several of their guards came to stop you. There was a brief standoff until one of their senior members came to handle the situation and guide their guards away. You and Malevus entered their small camp and made your way past their tents until you found the largest one, which had a pair of footmen guarding the door.Brushing past the two of them, you stepped in with Malevus right behind you.“Prince Alric.”“Lord Fordring.” “I didn’t expect to see you after yesterday's meeting, frankly it didn’t go as planned.” Fordring said to you as he stood up behind the table. “I will have to apologise for the lack of tack Lord Colonel showed to you.”The apology didn’t really bring you much happiness, but at least Fordring understood the situation.“So Prince Alric, what do you want to talk about?” Fordring asked. He wasn’t in the position to ask questions so he let you have the initiative.>What does Fordring think about the meeting and what Garithos is planning to do?>What does he think about Alterac and its position?>Will Silver Hand really act against you if you were to move into Alterac or break the Edict?>Can Silver Hand support your efforts in finishing the Invasion of Strahnbrad Hills?>Other, write in.
>>5720791>What does he think about Alterac and its position?>What does Fordring think about the meeting and what Garithos is planning to do?
>>5720791>What does Fordring think about the meeting and what Garithos is planning to do?>What does he think about Alterac and its position?What are we talking to for Tirion anyway?
>>5720791>>What does Fordring think about the meeting and what Garithos is planning to do?>>What does he think about Alterac and its position?
>>5720791>What does he think about Alterac and its position?>Other, write in.Malevus, my squire is undergoing training to become a paladin. Is their any advice you can give us so that he has the best possible chance for success?
>>5720791>ask if he can share what are Silver Hand’s priorities for this region. Most importantly if there is a threat that could be dangerous to both Alliance and AlteracOther things we could talk about is Malevus’s interest in Paladin ways, and perhaps morality of Light and redemption in relation to former scoundrels. Maybe Malevus could bring that one up?I’m not sure how much Alric knows or heard about Tirion’s character so we may not be too comfortable discussing our plans of trying to bring our misguided citizens on the right path, especially since we may still be bitter about Silver Hands past actions against Alterac, deserved or not), but there still ARE ideals worth pursuing, as we’ve told Uther before.
Give me a roll for the Silver Hands.>1d10>Best of three, taking the second roll
Rolled 2 (1d10)>>5720791>>Will Silver Hand really act against you if you were to move into Alterac or break the Edict?>>5721149rolling
Rolled 2 (1d10)>>5721149
Rolled 5 (1d10)>>5721149>Tirion tells us to talk to the hand
>5>2“Lord Fordring, you do know why I am here.” You said to him.“The meeting.”“Precisely.”You took a seat and Fordring sat down as well while Malevus stood by the tent’s door and watched the two of you.“I will be straight with you Lord Fordring, Alterac cannot accept what Garithos is planning to do.” You said to him.“You made that clear to us Prince Alric.”“So that is why I am asking you, what do you think about all of this? Outside of just it not going as planned.” “Silver Hand supports the decisions made and or authorised by King Terenas.” Fordring said to you after a quick pause. He needed a couple of seconds to think of an answer. “He has our unwavering support.”That was a very careful answer, but it was an answer.“Decisions made and or authorised by King Terenas.” You replied.“Correct.”That was an extremely careful answer and answer that guarded them politically. Silver Hand would support Garithos being installed as the new Magistrate, moving the headquarters of Regional Defenders and Southshore being made into a city. “Then how about Garithos?” You asked him.“If Lord Colonel asks for our assistance, Silver Hand will look into the request and act if we see it necessary.” Fordring answered.Another very careful answer, neither really denying or agreeing on the support of Garithos. Fordring really avoided tying himself and his Order with him. While the two answers didn’t give you much, the way he had answered did give you something. Fordring had to think about what he would say and then he gave you a very political answer that avoided making hard decisions.“Then what about Alterac and us? How does Silver Hand see us and think about our campaign in Strahnbrad Hills?” You asked him.“Prince Alric, your campaign has brought justice to the hills, preventing the bandits and the Syndicate from having a foothold on this side of Darrowmere River. Publicly one finds it very difficult to criticise those actions, especially as protecting the common people and fighting bandits and other threats has been part of Silver Hand’s job since the Second War ended.” Fordring said to you and continued. “There are those who see you doing all this, even if your actions lead into greater good, as a bad thing as it isn’t us who are doing it. And due to that they cannot support or justify your results as a good thing.”“I have noticed that.” You answered.1/2
>>5721435“As long as the Edict stands and you don’t move away from the path you have taken, you aren’t giving your enemies more tools to use against you.” Fordring told you.Yet another careful answer, but again it told you something. Silver Hand seemed to approve of your moves against the bandits and Syndicate, but if you were to break the Edict or do something that went against what you had done before, then they would have to reassess the situation with you.Someone entered the tent behind you and as you turned around, you weren’t exactly glad to see who it was.“Lord Colonel.” Fordring said as he stood up and gave him a slight nod.“Lord Fordring… Princeling.” Garithos greeted him and then you through gritted teeth.“Colonel.” You greeted him back with a disdain in your voice.“Prince Alric was here to discuss his campaign in Strahnbrad Hills, we were just finishing our discussion.” Fordring said to you and gave you a small nod.Very unfortunate timing for Garithos to arrive into here, otherwise you could have continued speaking with Fordring.>It is better for you to leave before anything happens, you don’t need more trouble.>Maybe you could try to prod Garithos to lose his cool again. Making him embarrass himself would make his position weaker.>Ask Garithos if he thinks that the meeting went well for him?>Ask Fordring if Silver Hand could support your efforts in Strahnbrad Hills?>Other, write in.QM: The roll was how much Fordring would tell you and who would join you in the tent.
>>5721436>Ask Fordring if Silver Hand could support your efforts in Strahnbrad Hills?
>>5721436>>Ask Fordring if Silver Hand could support your efforts in Strahnbrad Hills?
>>5721436>It is better for you to leave before anything happens, you don’t need more trouble.Why would we ask for their help? Why would they help our conquest of territory with no strings attached?
>>5721471Paladins swear an oath to vanquish evil and protect the innocent. Couldn't hurt to ask.
>>5721479Oh come on, you know the order belongs to Lordaeron not to it's oathes. And yes it could hurt to ask, what if they say yes and then send a bunch of soldiers into our territory? What will we do if they refuse to leave? Do you not remember what Arthas said? Garithos' thoughts are common within the military, they are NOT gonna help us out of kindness or principles.
>>5721486You raise some valid points. Also there is a concern about having more paladins nearby due to Eligius and our magic training. Still, Sir Raleigh has been useful to us. Extra paladins could boost morale, save our soldiers from death with their healing powers and help with any unexpected dark magic problems. Not to mention they're very good at fighting. I think the positives outweigh the negatives which can be mitigated to an extent anyway or be dealt with if they happen to arise later.
>>5721533I think you're being recklessly optimistic but how about this: we ask for their help but specify that such help would be very small in scope. A few paladins and their healing magic or some such. No open invitation for them to implement Garithos' occupation plan.I still think it's naive to ask this of Tirion and while having Garithos in the same room no less but it's better than the prompt. One day we call them out on their bullshit and on the next day we're asking them for help...
>>5721436>>It is better for you to leave before anything happens, you don’t need more trouble.>Thank him for his time.Garithos continues to be a pest, even if unintentionally for once. Ah well.Nothing good would come from trying to rile him up on purpose; let's just leave.Getting paladins involved would probably carry less political risk than any other military entity from Alliance, but it's probably not a good idea to get them involved in our annexation campaign.
>>5721548I can see a justified case in offering to work together on a joint operation against some regional threat, as opposed to having routine patrols stomping our territory, but it does feel rather awkward after yestedray.There's a bit of a problem of them questioning our claim on the area if we get them involved though. Even if paladins might not contest it by themselves, someone else might.
>>5721436>>It is better for you to leave before anything happens, you don’t need more trouble.
>>5721548Fair enough. I'd still like to hear what he'd offer, if anything. The Silver Hand has priests in addition to paladins, which would be equally as helpful and presumably not as intrusive as paladins. Admittedly, Garithos being present is annoying, but if we manage to get assistance that's strictly supportive (and not militaristic) from the Silver Hand then he's basically a non-factor.
>>5721436>>It is better for you to leave before anything happens, you don’t need more trouble.byeeeee
“Lord Fordring, you are right.” You said to him. “Thank you for these few moments you spared to me.”“The pleasure was mine Prince Alric.” Fordring said back.You gave him a very slight bow, maybe a bit too deep for a Prince, but Fordring would understand it. Garithos was less than likely.You turned around and left the tent with Malevus right behind you. You didn’t give Garithos a second more of your thoughts.Walking out of the Silver Hand camp, you joined with your footmen and finally moved your hand away from the hilt of the Cinder Sword. When Garithos had entered the tent, you had moved your hand on the hilt out of pure reflex.“Malevus, did you listen carefully to what Lord Fordring said to me?” You asked your squire who was still a bit groggy.“I did Prince Alric.” Malevus said.“What do you think of what he said?”Malevus thought about it for a moment before she said anything. Even then she was careful with her words.“Lord Fordring seemed careful.” She said to you.“What else?”“He avoided putting his support behind anyone, except King Terenas.” Malevus said to you. “But he did approve your current campaign in Strahnbrad Hills.”You nodded to her. Malevus had been observant and by having followed you quite closely, she had started to learn the politics as well. It was good for her to listen and watch.“Good job Malevus.” You said to her. “Lord Fordring is in a difficult position and I understand why he was so careful. But at the same time I can be a bit disappointed that I couldn’t get more out of him.”You could feel how proud Malevus was that she had done well. “Alright, let’s go back to Beric. I think we have earned a bit more rest today.” You told her.…Couple of hours later after a nice refreshing dinner, you lounged in the living room where you had met with Jaina earlier today. A small fire in the hearth kept the room warm and the winter outside the windows. Sipping hot mulled wine, you for the first time today felt a bit refreshed. Gone was the headache and the nausea that had accompanied you through the day, as was the tiredness and sore body.Watching the flames dance in the hearth, you pondered about the last few days, especially about the stuff you hadn’t done yet or heard about.1/2
>>5722002Outside of seeing them in the cemetery, Eligius and Nalice had been doing their own things. Then there were also your neighbours, neither Mayor Fowley or Magistrate Burnside had been especially happy about what they had witnessed in the meeting. And there were the Malebs, you felt like you should go see them, well go see Elizabeth Maleb as you don’t think that her mother would prefer to see you around. The previous visit was so short after all. Then there was also the question of how did last night really go. Malevus didn’t remember that much either, just bits from here and there, so maybe your knights remembered the events of last night.Not today, but tomorrow. You felt refreshed, but you weren’t fully back in strength yet. You needed a night of normal non-alcohol induced sleep.“We will leave in two days, not tomorrow, but the day after.” You said to Tari who was reading a book. “And what book is that?”“Folk stories.” Tari said and showed the book to you. “Beric told me that most of the books and furniture here came with the house.”Well that would explain why he would have such a book in here. You didn’t think that Beric would be one to read folk stories if they didn’t bring him coin and wealth. Either way, what will you do tomorrow?>Invite Mayor Fowley and Magistrate Burnside for a meeting regarding the meeting two nights ago.>Have your knights tell you exactly what happened when you were out drinking.>Go find Eligius and Lady Nalice. Have them tell you what they have been doing in Southshore.>You should talk with Elizabeth Maleb. What will happen to them now that Garithos becomes the new Magistrate?>Other, write in.
>>5722003>Invite Mayor Fowley and Magistrate Burnside for a meeting regarding the meeting two nights ago.
>>5722003>>Invite Mayor Fowley and Magistrate Burnside for a meeting regarding the meeting two nights ago.
>>5722003>Go find Eligius and Lady Nalice. Have them tell you what they have been doing in Southshore.perhaps better get an update from them before convening with Fowley and Burnside.We can hopefully have the knights tell us about the night before on our way back or if opportunity allows. Hopefully it's just matters of levity and embarrassment and nothing critical we would need to act upon before leaving.
>>5722003>>Have your knights tell you exactly what happened when you were out drinking.
>>5722003>Invite Mayor Fowley and Magistrate Burnside for a meeting regarding the meeting two nights ago.we can talk with the knights/nalice eligius on the way back.
SIDESTORY Lady Behind The ClothSometimes she wondered about the secrecy she made her underlings to go through to just deliver her the mail. Was it all worth the trouble or just her knack and enjoyment of theatrics that made her do it?She heard a visitor arriving, a door opened and closed with a knack and the carefully installed floorboards creaked and cracked under each step. Quickly she threw on her veil that broke the features of her face and sat down on a chair. She would be ready to receive whoever it was coming. Within the Syndicate headquarters, her home for the past eight years or so, it was her quarters that were the most restricted. Animated suits of armour guarded the stairs there, false doors and floors led people who didn't know the right directions to walk in circles or be struck by traps. Only she and her closest servants knew the right route, her informants and spies could only deliver their messages so far. It had taken her several years to finish all the spells and illusions that kept everything together, but the work had been worth it. If she could show this to the mages of Dalaran, she would definitely be raised into high position, but that wasn't to be.But the room that gave her the name, that was the part she enjoyed the most. Four layers of cloth hang from the roof, each one of them allowing only so much light through them. As she sat on the chair and a light, one quite similar to the lamplights in Dalaran, shone right behind her, whoever approached her only saw her outline, shadow on the cloth.She recognised the person, the cloth magically weaved to block vision only to one direction, he was one of her aides. The man clothed in dark clothes pushed himself through the first three layers of cloth and kneeled and pulled out a single letter."A letter?" Lady Behind The Cloth asked. Her voice echoed across the room making it impossible to know if it was actually her talking. "Put it in the drawer."In the middle of the last layer of cloth was a drawer. He pulled it open, placing the letter in it and then closing it."Anything else?" She asked her aide. "No, then leave."The aide bowed deep enough to hit his head on the floor before slowly walking backwards and leaving the room.Lady Behind The Cloth stood up and went to retrieve the letter. She opened the drawer from her side and carefully pulled the letter out before investigating it.1/2
>>5722261A standard envelope with an unremarkable stamp on the wax. Nothing outwardly that could tell her who was the sender. She pulled off the veil over her face and carried the letter to a table where she placed it on a black stone. No reaction, nothing magical in the letter. Next she took a black powder and sprinkled it over the letter and spread it around with a brush on both sides of it. No reaction, no hidden messages on the envelope itself.Then she took out a microscope, an intriguing gnomish invention and started checking the envelope for any signs of tampering. Lady Behind The Cloth smiled, the wax had been removed and reapplied. A naked eye wouldn't notice it, but with this device it was possible to notice. Someone had opened it, someone had probably read the letter. She sighed, the letters are always opened nowadays. Still a couple years ago opened letters were in minority, but not anymore. It told a lot to her about the Syndicate of the present day. Taking a knife she quickly flicked the letter open and received a plain letter. Reaplying the test with the black powder and finding nothing, she took out her cipher keys and one by one started testing them on the letter.None of them matched, that couldn’t be right. She had made it clear that her informants must use their ciphers. She knew whom she had given them and it wasn’t any of them. Sighing deeply she started to actually read the letter. It was full of the usual humbug she had instructed her informants to write, but amongst them was a sentence that stopped her.“I still remember how you turned the flowers red, white and blue. How you made them purple and burned them away.”The letter fell off her hand on the floor.With shaking hands she took off her glasses and swallowed hard. How did he know? Only one person would know about this.And then she smiled.“Alric…” Beve Perenolde wiped a tear out of the corner of her eye.“Little brother…”Maybe one day the two of you could meet after all these years.QM: A reaction to Alric contacting her through Kris Legace. The proper update comes next.
Come next morning, you had sent a pair of footmen to contact Mayor Fowley and Magistrate Burnside for a meeting. You were quite sure that they would be quite receptive to your advance for a meeting.And you were right, it was Mayor Fowley who was the first one to arrive.“Prince Alric, what a bloody past few days.” The small bookish man said as he entered the living room of Beric’s home.“I wouldn’t use such hard words Mayor Fowley.” You said to him. “Wine?”“Yes please.”“Taretha, could you get us wine?”“I can Prince Alric.” Tari said to you and reverted back to her subservient servant self.“A new servant? Or?” Fowley asked you after Tari had left the two of you for a moment.“A friend, smart mind.” You said back.“I see…” Fowley said and changed the subject. “I can’t believe the meeting, how could Garithos really push for all that?”“He has friends in high places, King Terenas and Silver Hand are going to support him till he becomes the Magistrate.” You said back. “Beyond that, I don’t believe he has that many allies.”“I hope you are right…”Fowley said as Tari returned with two glasses of wine.1/2
>>5722264Fowley watched as Tari left the room and when the door closed shut, he spoke to you as he leaned forward.“Are you sure that she is just a friend with a smart mind?” Fowley asked you back.“Definitely, why else would I have her in my retinue then? I need smart people with a head for numbers.” You said back and deflected a bit. Fowley seemed to believe the rumours. You wondered if he thought that you and Monica were a thing, it seemed like it a bit.“I will take your word.” Fowley said as he sipped for wine. “How do you think this will go? Magistrate Burnside has never been that receptive of us easterners. He likes to think that Hillsbrad Fields can contest the whole Hillsbrad.”“He has the right to think so, don’t they rival Southshore and Andorhal in terms of farm fields?” You asked back.“They do Prince Alric… they do. And there is not much outside of burning their fields that we can do about it.” Fowley said and sighed. “The Barovs have put a considerable amount of coin into Tarren Mill, more recently than in the past, but they can’t compete with the Hillsbrad Fields. Unless they throw all their wealth at it.”“Which they won’t.”“They won’t, they are smart like that.” You said back to the small bookish man.“Then what do you plan on doing Prince Alric, you can’t allow Colonel Garithos to do as he wants? What will you do with Burnside, how will you get him to support you?.” Fowley asked after he downed his wine.>Your plan is to follow your threat, a diplomatic reply to a diplomatic slight.>Garithos believes in power and soldiers, you are planning on halving the garrison in Dawnholme as a response.>The garrison in Dawnholme is thirty men strong. You are going to send it back to Southshore as a response. A strong response, but a response that keeps you the initiative and makes you look strong.>You can trust Captain Reginald, he will join you sooner or later. Garithos will be mad when his men switch sides.>Other, write in.>Burnside knows what you have done for them. Solved the forest bandit issue and forced the hand of Baron Haart to kill himself. Alterac has done good for them in the long run.>Hillsbrad Fields are going to benefit from the trade over Southshore. You can have Beric to deal with that.>You are going to invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system you are building up. That should do it.>If needed you are going to give beneficial trade rights to Hillsbrad Fields. Even if it hurts you close relations with Tarren Mill.>Other, write in.
>>5722265>Your plan is to follow your threat, a diplomatic reply to a diplomatic slight.>Garithos believes in power and soldiers, you are planning on halving the garrison in Dawnholme as a response.>Hillsbrad Fields are going to benefit from the trade over Southshore. You can have Beric to deal with that.>You are going to invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system you are building up. That should do it.
Also, pastebins have been updated. Not that much of new details, but maybe something that is worth noticing.
>>5722265>The garrison in Dawnholme is thirty men strong. You are going to send it back to Southshore as a response. A strong response, but a response that keeps you the initiative and makes you look strong."You will not return until retribution for the disgusting slight committed against our sovereign is negotiated." What does the fourth option meam though? Is it trying to convince Reginald to defect?>Burnside knows what you have done for them. Solved the forest bandit issue and forced the hand of Baron Haart to kill himself. Alterac has done good for them in the long run.>Hillsbrad Fields are going to benefit from the trade over Southshore. You can have Beric to deal with that.>You are going to invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system you are building up. That should do it.Time to invite him into this nascent coalition we're making.
>>5722320>What does the fourth option meam though? Is it trying to convince Reginald to defect?Or Alric thinks that an officer he has seen performing well in the field could be persuaded to see the folly of following Garethos. Maybe Captain Reginald could actually switch sides.
>>5722265>The garrison in Dawnholme is thirty men strong. You are going to send it back to Southshore as a response. A strong response, but a response that keeps you the initiative and makes you look strong>Burnside knows what you have done for them. Solved the forest bandit issue and forced the hand of Baron Haart to kill himself. Alterac has done good for them in the long run.>Hillsbrad Fields are going to benefit from the trade over Southshore. You can have Beric to deal with that.>You are going to invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system you are building up. That should do it.The Alliance will not like it but Alterac looks far stronger with such an act.The plan of having Reginald switch side is interesting, but it needs sometime and a strong idea on how to do it. Definetly a cooperative work for Eligius, Nalice and Alric, if we go for it. The alliance would definetly not like it at all, i imagine we wouldn't do it in a way it can be used against Alterac. More their choice to join us.Like using the fact they have essentially throw them nowhere, with locals disliking them and a border full of dangers. Receiving orders from an idiotic higher commander, when they could instead settle down and protect a new guaranteed home.
>>5722331Oh really.....
>>5722331Switch sides as in defecting or as in becoming our advocate in this crisis? Cause if it's the latter then add that to my vote as well.
>>5722333>>5722334Issue is, can you persuade him or will he decline?What do you think?
>>5722336Yes we can due to how disrespectful Garithos was. If even ARTHAS thought it was too far, the guy who fucking hates hates hates our guts, then there's no doubt in my mind that a man who we've the respect of would be convinced.
>>5722336I think we can.... yes we have enough fitting personnel and ideas for this.There is land, better conditions if they join, a better leader to lead them and that wouldn't just dismiss their experience or words. Pay is there too.Gaining 30 men and a skilled officer sound really sweet >>5722332I am switiching to>You can trust Captain Reginald, he will join you sooner or later. Garithos will be mad when his men switch sides.Keep the rest.Summon Eligius and Nalice, when the meeting ends i want us to prepare this plot. I am feeling mildly evil today.
>>5722336>>5722351Wait so is it to defect or not?
>>5722265>Your plan is to follow your threat, a diplomatic reply to a diplomatic slight.We need to make a case in the capital against this plan. But having supportive voices would be good.To that end acting unilaterally against the edict would not work in our favour and probably worsen our position.And trying to induce defection of Reginald doesn't sound good at all. Even if he agreed, he'd be sacrificing his career and possibly his life in subsequent confrontation. What we could do is to shuffle our men around to make a show of us being ready to repel trespassing soldiers, but sadly we don't have much leverage to offer and doing so carries its own risks from syndicate, outlaws, orcs etc.>Burnside already knows that having military take over sets precedent that is not good for him, but we can add additional benefit to supporting us with the market fairs and perspective of future development if this matter is resolved to mutual satisfaction and allows both us and the Alliance to devote more resources to actual problems - orcs, gnolls, bandits, syndicate etc - over petty politics. We really need to drive home that this sucker punch at us is actively detrimental to virtually everyone except for the actual troublemakers.What other actors do we have unaccounted for?Gilneas kind of benefits from Alterac being a roadblock, and they even have a pretender, or am I misremembering things?Stromgarde is probably not even worth trying to talk to unless something really drastic happens, although maybe some gesture of at least trying to reach out to them would be helpful. Or it might spur them into actively join Garithos to spite us if they haven't already. Sigh.
>>5722355Potentially yes, potentially no? Maybe you can, maybe you couldn't make him join your side.>>5722358You do remember correctly. Isiden Perenolde, a nephew to Aiden Perenolde, Alric's father. You or Normand haven't heard of him in years, but you think that he is still alive.
>>5722358"Edict of King Terenas forbids all incursions into Alterac by all forces other than forces of Alliance of Lordaeron."- The PastebinExpelling the garrison would not violate the edict. Also making a case in the Capital? Why? Garithos had no institutional support for his plan, it was a gambit that failed miserably. Going to the Capital over it would give it way more credit than it deserves. This is not the time for supplicancy.>>5722363What do you mean potentially? It's a yes or no question. Does the prompt mean we try convincing him to defect?
>>5722367“Prince Alric, we have reached several conclusions and decisions regarding you and Alterac after this new piece of information received from you. These decisions are official and have the full weight of the Alliance of Lordaeron behind them. Is this understood?”“Yes King Varian.” You said back and nodded.“Good as following decisions affect you. First the Edict of King Terenas will not be lifted and further all incursions into Alterac are banned from all forces other than members of the Alliance of Lordaeron. Second, due to potential threat from the forces of Prince Alric Perenolde on the security of the Alliance of Lordaeron, a diplomatic surveillance mission will be launched and official review of Prince Alric Perenolde, his forces and his holdings will be made. Third, we will send a detachment of Alliance troops to the town of Dawnholme to act as an Alliance garrison.” King Varian read the decisions from a scroll.>These decisions are official and have the full weight of the Alliance of Lordaeron behind them.>Third, we will send a detachment of Alliance troops to the town of Dawnholme to act as an Alliance garrison.Expelling the garrison wouldn't break the edict, but it would go against this
>>5722367The prompt is about what to say to Fowley, with getting Captain Reginald to defect to your side being an option amongst others. Now will that option happen, well it depends. Will he do it completely, or will he play along, be leaning towards you or declining completely. That depends.
>>5722367Evicting the garrison is a move that would definitely work in garithos's favour in that respect. And where else are we going to make our position known than in capital? We can send strongly worded letter, but if we're not there to make our point in person, our opponents will have advantage in arguing against whatever we write.>This is not time for supplicancyUnless alliance falls apart around us it will always be time for supplicancy. We cannot offer deterrence and are counting on alliance politics to keep us from getting dogpiled. Any bravado from us will remain no more than posturing in foreseeable future. We simply don't have a big stick unless our engineer secretly developed a nuke for us.
>>5722378The point stands, it would not go against the edict. The expulsion of a garrison composed of Lordaeronian troops for the blunder of a Lordaeronian officer is a proportial reaction and, more importantly, a reaction that would not cause a retaliation in my view.>>5722380So it's a decision on talking to Reginald later? I'll vote in favor it then, NOT to persuade to defect but to convince him to advocate on our behalf instead. Could we also ask our friends to make a statement in our support?>>5722382> Evicting the garrison is a move that would definitely work in garithos's favour in that respect. How? He caused this whole mess in the first place.> And where else are we going to make our position known than in capital? We can send strongly worded letter, but if we're not there to make our point in person, our opponents will have advantage in arguing against whatever we write.Argue what exactly? Unless you mean to say that they'll outright lie than there is nothing of substance to use as material for a narrative. If they DID lie then it would only backfire given how many witnessess there were which would unravel the lie.> Unless alliance falls apart around us it will always be time for supplicancy. Not in this circumstance it won't. By your strategy we would continuously show weakness even in the face of blatant disrespect. We can't make any big moves true, but a minor retaliation in the face of insult? It is a must, otherwise the alliance warhawk officers would feel comfortable in antagonising us further even if it went against orders.I believe you are being too cautious for the third time.
>>5722265Upon further thought, I think it would be best if we made some sort of joint statement to spread around and also leverage our connections to gather support for our side. Im sure Nalice and Eligius can help us in this endeavour. We are not alone, we have made many friends we can call upon in this time of need.Yeah we should see Nalice and Eligius asap to make the most use out of this resource. Perhaps bring them to this meeting if possible?
>>5722386>How? He caused this whole mess in the first place.>Argue what exactly?"See that perenolde upstart acting against decree by his betters? Garithos was right, we should support him and put the upstart in his place.">By your strategy we would continuously show weakness even in the face of blatant disrespect. We can't make any big moves true, but a minor retaliation in the face of insult? It is a must, otherwise the alliance warhawk officers would feel comfortable in antagonising us further even if it went against orders.Evicting garrison is not a strategy, it's a gesture that wins us nothing and it being seen as a sign of "strength" relies entirely on morals of those sitting in command of alliance seeing such a gesture as justified.What we can do is convince those councilors that normalizing shenanigans like what Arthas/Garithos are doing could harm themselves in the future.Alternatively we could come up with some other move in response. Such as, I don't know, coming up with some way to hamper southshore's military projects through abusing bureaucracy or trade, or finding some other way to make us into headache that's more than just an act of petty defiance.>I believe you are being too cautious for the third time.Better to be too cautious a thousand times than to throw our people into a meat grinder once just to stroke our ego. Or, in case of a better outcome, weakening position of our advocates and bolstering that of our detractors.
>>5722265>You can trust Captain Reginald, he will join you sooner or later. Garithos will be mad when his men switch sides.we can have him switch side but still be officially be the garrison from Lordaeron, also would remain as a way to loophole the Edict, as they can invade alterac grounds with our support without breaking the edict terms.>You are going to invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system you are building up. That should do it.being cooperative with them should be enough to convince them, they were already againts it.
>>5722409> "See that perenolde upstart acting against decree by his betters? Garithos was right, we should support him and put the upstart in his place."This would only have strength if we violated a decree unprovoked.> Evicting garrison is not a strategy, it's a gesture that wins us nothing and it being seen as a sign of "strength" relies entirely on morals of those sitting in command of alliance seeing such a gesture as justified. What we can do is convince those councilors that normalizing shenanigans like what Arthas/Garithos are doing could harm themselves in the future.Indeed, none of this is about morals. It's about image management and narratives. It relies not on the goodness of the policy makers but on the value they put on the front that they wish to maintain and what it wins us is the reigning in of those who think like Garithos so that such risks to their precious narratives of being righteous and just rulers don't happen again.> Alternatively we could come up with some other move in response. Such as, I don't know, coming up with some way to hamper southshore's military projects through abusing bureaucracy or trade, or finding some other way to make us into headache that's more than just an act of petty defianceDoesn't interact with image management. Innefective solutions for these circumstances.> Better to be too cautious a thousand times than to throw our people into a meat grinder once just to stroke our ego. Or, in case of a better outcome, weakening position of our advocates and bolstering that of our detractors.This is nothing of the sort. Again, this all involves image management.The positives of retaliation would not be worth the negatives to our opponents. Neither of us want escalation so we will do our posturing and then hash out an agreement, it's rudimentary politics.
>>5722409Would it go like that for all their lords and magistrates ? So far Alric has been good with them and has done some heroic actions to back it up. Garithos doesn't look too hot either after what he did, news of that will spread. Should count for something, even if there is a lot of mistrust and hate.I think it does reinforce certain things internally in our kingdom and likely increases approval with other outside groups. For example, we know there is some dislike/resentment of the garrison of Dawnholme in our population. And for anons that had in mind to reform and recruit certain prisoners, like syndicate ones, it might be a point that needs to be crossed out.Sometimes people can have very simple thoughts, like viewing the Alliance garrison has a prelude of a much larger and organized occupation (insert Garithos moustaches here)
>>5722265>Your plan is to follow your threat, a diplomatic reply to a diplomatic slight.>>You can trust Captain Reginald, he will join you sooner or later. Garithos will be mad when his men switch sides.>You are going to invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system you are building up. That should do it.
>>5722265>>Your plan is to follow your threat, a diplomatic reply to a diplomatic slight.>>Hillsbrad Fields are going to benefit from the trade over Southshore. You can have Beric to deal with that.>>You are going to invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system you are building up. That should do it.
If my eyes are right, diplomatic reply and trade are the winners. Evicting the garrison and trying to get Captain Reginald to defect have some support, so I will note them down and bring both up on a later date.Can I have a normal roll please.>1d10>Best of three
Rolled 9 (1d10)>>5722792
Rolled 10 (1d10)>>5722792
Rolled 2 (1d10)>>5722792
>>5722265>>Garithos believes in power and soldiers, you are planning on halving the garrison in Dawnholme as a response.>>The garrison in Dawnholme is thirty men strong. You are going to send it back to Southshore as a response. A strong response, but a response that keeps you the initiative and makes you look strong.>>Burnside knows what you have done for them. Solved the forest bandit issue and forced the hand of Baron Haart to kill himself. Alterac has done good for them in the long run.>>Hillsbrad Fields are going to benefit from the trade over Southshore. You can have Beric to deal with that.>>You are going to invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system you are building up. That should do it.I know I am late to the vote, but this is what I support. We can't be afraid in making strong moves. The message needs to be loud and clear that we do not approve the planned moves and that this is Garithos fault.
>10"My response most likely will be a diplomatic one." You told Fowley. "I haven't decided on the details yet as I need to consult my advisors first.""I am not sure how effective a message could be. Garithos clearly believes in strength, not in words." Fowley said back to you. "Though I am not in your position.""What will Tarren Mill do?""I will contact the Barovs and together we will discuss this further. That is my plan." Fowley said to you. "I don't exactly have the soldiers to oppose him, but you can be sure that Regional Defenders won't feel welcomed in Tarren Mill."Fowley had been quite mad in the meeting and how he spoke of Garithos now made it very clear how much he hated him. He was very much a proponent for a more direct show of strength."Magistrate Burnside knows what I have done for him. I am also planning on inviting him into our market fair system." You told Fowley. "Trade will benefit all of us.""Prince Alric, I need to be direct with you. Tarren Mill's merchants won't like that, but I will persuade them. We need to have an united front against him." Fowley said to you as the door opened."United front? What are the two of you planning?" Magistrate Burnside said as he stepped into the room. "Prince Alric, Mayor Fowley."Burnside greeted the two of you and sat down on an empty chair."Against Garithos." Fowley said back to him. "He shouldn't be the Magistrate, he will only dishonour Henry's legacy.""United front against Garithos?" Burnside asked and turned towards you. "Prince Alric, such political moves can be dangerous, are you sure you want it?""Divided we are weaker." You answered. "We do need to cooperate, even if it isn't a true united front.""So what are you planning?" Burnside asked back.>Invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system and establish a closer trade with them.>To write a statement with your neighbours and send it to King Terenas. Hillsbrad does not agree with Garithos becoming the new Magistrate.>Closer military cooperation between the three of you to counterbalance Regional Defenders.>Officially forming an alliance between the three of you for mutual protection.>Other, write in.QM: Shorter update today. The roll was to see how accepting Fowley is for the trade. They and Hillsbrad Fields are competitors after all.
>>5722977>Closer military cooperation between the three of you to counterbalance Regional Defenders.Shame no one else wanted to go fr the middle ground, I thought kicking out half instead of all would be a response of strength, but without completely getting rid of the garrison and breaking the extra imposition the alliance had made during that meeting.
>>5722995>Invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system and establish a closer trade with them.And this too, why not?
>>5722977>Invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system and establish a closer trade with them.>Closer military cooperation between the three of you to counterbalance Regional Defenders.>Officially forming an alliance between the three of you for mutual protection.Look at us. We're the Regional Defenders now.>To write a statement with your neighbours and send it to King Terenas. Hillsbrad does not agree with Garithos becoming the new Magistrate.Not just to King Terenas but to all town criers. It will be a harder to retaliate if we have undisputable popular support.>>5722995Because it's a half measure that's why.
>>5723003So you are for all of nothing?I can respect that.
>>5722977>>5723003+1 Let's fucking go.
>>5722977>Invite Hillsbrad Fields into the market fair system and establish a closer trade with them.>To write a statement with your neighbours and send it to King Terenas. Hillsbrad does not agree with Garithos becoming the new Magistrate.>Officially forming an alliance between the three of you for mutual protection.
"A stronger, more unified Hillsbrad that can defend itself and prosper economically." You said back to him. "We can push our cooperation to the next level.""And Prince Alric, what would be the next level exactly?" Burnside asked."Everything, trade and security. Having three of us working toward the same goals." You told him. Fowley nodded in agreement."You and Mayor Fowley, you are asking a lot." Burnside said and paused for a moment as Taretha entered the room to give him a glass of wine and refill Fowley's glass."A lot is going to change if Garithos can freely reign without anyone pushing back." Fowley said to him."Alright, sell me the details. Let's see what you have to offer." Burnside said back.…You had started with the idea of a statement and quickly after acquiring ink and paper, a draft had been made. The arguments Fowley and Burnside used were repeated and wording was carefully chosen to be as diplomatic as possible. Your part put an emphasis on potential political and economic destabilisation which could harm the work put into cooperation with your neighbours. This statement wasn't the place to put Alterac ahead of Hillsbrad Fields and Tarren Mill, instead you were there to support your neighbours in this internal business of Lordaeron. Alterac was concerned.But the statement stayed as a draft between the three of you as Fowley wanted to show it to Barovs and get them on-board. And that was where you, Fowley and Burnside stopped agreeing on further details."Absolutely not." Burnside said back. "As much as Garithos worries me, I don’t need to be worried that Regional Defenders themselves will cause me trouble. And military cooperation between Alterac and Hillsbrad would be something that will attract said trouble."This was somewhat expected, but at least he had been receptive enough to agree on hearing your idea about getting Hillsbrad Fields to join you in closer military cooperation. With Tarren Mill you were de facto already in a military alliance and the town accepted the Alteraci presence, but Hillsbrad Fields was a different one."I understand." You said."I hope you do. I serve King Terenas and signing security deals with someone who technically is a foreigner is something I cannot do. Security of Hillsbrad should be handled by Lordaeron." Burnside said back. "But we can try out your market fairs. I am not sure what you can offer that we can’t already get elsewhere, but we can try.""I can have my trader Beric come talk with you about the details." You said."That sounds acceptable." Burnside said and continued. "So Mayor Fowley, are you sure about this military cooperation?""I am, I had already thought about it before, but now my hand was forced." Fowley said back to him. "I would prefer to rely on Alterac who have helped us time after time, than to Regional Defenders that did nothing when the bandits terrorised us.""That is going to cause waves." Burnside said to him.1/2
>>5723527"I know, but they forced my hand and now they will reap what they sowed." Fowley said back. You hadn’t seen Fowley be this determined before. The man was more of a businessman and a trader than a Mayor, but now he acted like a proper politician. Or he had made the calculations and tying Tarren Mill with Alterac was more profitable to him in the long run."Then there we have it." You said and clapped your hands. "We have the statement where we disagree with the decision to make Garithos the new Magistrate. We have also agreed to invite Hillsbrad Fields to our market fair system and Alterac is going to have closer military cooperation with Tarren Mill."Fowley nodded approvingly. "Mayor Fowley, after you have gotten Barovs to take a look at the statement, will you send it to King Terenas?" Burnside asked him. "Or should I do it?""If Barovs agree with us, they should deliver the letter." Fowley said.That did raise a problem. Lord Alexei Barov had acted quite belligerently towards you in Capital City. If the statement ends up in his hands and he sees that you are part of it, he might not agree with it."And are the two of you going to make your little alliance a public thing?" Burnside asked you. "It will cause waves if everyone hears that Tarren Mill has sided with Alterac.">Yes, the Alterac-Tarren Mill alliance will be a public thing. You won't hide it, in fact you will spread the word.>A public secret. We are already cooperating a lot and are de facto allies. Outwardly not much will change.>Keep it a hush hush, only those who need to know, namely other nobles and leaders will learn about it.>Complete secret, knowledge is power after all.>Other, write in.>Ask for the statement to be sent by Burnside. Hillsbrad Fields is strongest after Southshore and Garithos as a Magistrate is internal Lordaeron business first and foremost.>Have Fowley send the statement. He was the one most against Garithos in the meeting.>You can send the statement. Use the opportunity to add your own letter to go with it. A strongly worded letter could be part of the diplomatic reply.>Barovs can handle the statement. You are sure Lady Jandice and her brothers understand the situation well enough.>Other, write in.QM: Please vote on both. Also what would be a nice name for the small alliance you are going to have with Tarren Mill.
>>5723529>Yes, the Alterac-Tarren Mill alliance will be a public thing. You won't hide it, in fact you will spread the word>You can send the statement. Use the opportunity to add your own letter to go with it. A strongly worded letter could be part of the diplomatic reply.
>>5723529>Yes, the Alterac-Tarren Mill alliance will be a public thing. You won't hide it, in fact you will spread the word.>You can send the statement. Use the opportunity to add your own letter to go with it. A strongly worded letter could be part of the diplomatic reply.Fowley is going to suffer for this desu.
>>5723529>>Yes, the Alterac-Tarren Mill alliance will be a public thing. You won't hide it, in fact you will spread the word.>>5723529>>Ask for the statement to be sent by Burnside. Hillsbrad Fields is strongest after Southshore and Garithos as a Magistrate is internal Lordaeron business first and foremost.>>5723529>Also what would be a nice name for the small alliance you are going to have with Tarren Mill.The Alliance of Alterac would be a bit too on the nose
>>5723529>>Yes, the Alterac-Tarren Mill alliance will be a public thing. You won't hide it, in fact you will spread the word.>>Ask for the statement to be sent by Burnside. Hillsbrad Fields is strongest after Southshore and Garithos as a Magistrate is internal Lordaeron business first and foremost.Burnside should send it. Us sending it could make it look like all of this is our plan. We can do our reply later.For the name what about Darrowmere Defense League? Named after local major landmark which is near you, but is also neutral. Or maybe Defense League, only a League? Defense Pact?
>>5723529>Yes, the Alterac-Tarren Mill alliance will be a public thing. You won't hide it, in fact you will spread the word.Darrowmere League sounds nice. Like muh EU4 trade leagues.>Ask for the statement to be sent by Burnside. Hillsbrad Fields is strongest after Southshore and Garithos as a Magistrate is internal Lordaeron business first and foremost.Either this or the Barovs. We need as much legitimacy as we can and that means getting as many people involved as we can.
>>5723623>>5723686It would be better if it was a 1 word title like "The League" or "The Pact" in case it turns into a faction once we reach vanilla wow's time
>>5723529>Yes, the Alterac-Tarren Mill alliance will be a public thing. You won't hide it, in fact you will spread the word.>Ask for the statement to be sent by Burnside. Hillsbrad Fields is strongest after Southshore and Garithos as a Magistrate is internal Lordaeron business first and foremost.
"Barovs would have the most pull, but they aren't locals." You mused aloud. "And I am an Alteraci.""You are right Prince Alric." Fowley said. "It should then be you Burnside.""I agree." You said."Then send it to me when you are ready and I will send it to King Terenas." Burnside said back."Then that is settled. We all know what we are going to do next." You said to them. "Winds of change are going to blow through Hillsbrad and Alterac come spring and summer.""Just be ready for a potential response from Garithos." Burnside said as he stood up.He was right, Garithos could be vindictive and might want to strike back with whatever means he has. Be it politics or the military."We will." You said back and stood up as well with Fowley."For cooperation." Fowley said and raised his glass. "And for the demise of Garithos.""Which one do you prefer more?" You asked and chuckled."Both!" Fowley said back."Then to both!"All three of you raised your glasses and toasted to both.…"I must confess that I didn’t expect us to be allied officially when I came here a couple hours ago." Fowley said to you as the two of you were still sitting in Beric’s living room.After toasting for both the demise of Garithos and cooperation, you had continued to discuss your alliance with Tarren Mill with Fowley and Burnside for a moment before he had left."It was a bit sudden, but what really changes?" You asked him back. "Alteraci soldiers are still going to rely on Tarren Mill for the supply train, they are going to visit your town for rest and recuperation. Really I might just instruct them to be even more polite and more on watch as we are allied now.""You are right. More cooperation with patrols through Tarren Mill's lands, maybe helping with the training." Fowley said. "Tarren Mill Militia has grown, but they are not ready for real combat… at least that is what I have been told.""I will take that in account, but what will the merchants think about this?" You asked. "Or the Barovs?""The merchants will fall in line as usual and the Barovs will as well. They might own the land, but they are very laissez-faire with it." Fowley said to you."Ahh… the market will decide.""Yes, they will buy the increased security and weren't there some cooperation between you and them?" Fowley asked."Still work in progress, but I should meet with Lady Jandice hopefully soon." You said back.Fowley sipped his wine and finished the last of it."What do we call it if we are going to make it official?" Fowley asked you."I don't know… something neutral and another noun." You shrugged. "Not alliance as it has been used, nor some dull word like association or cooperative.""Or the Syndicate." Fowley said."I have no idea what my brother was thinking, that name is bad." You said back and thought. "Darrowmere River is the largest neutral sounding landmark here."1/2
>>5723819"Darrowmere League?" Fowley suggested."Hmmm… let's go with that for now. We can announce a more proper name a bit later." You said."Then it is decided. Tarren Mill and Alterac married together in defence." Fowley said.Gained:>Tarren Mill as your defensive ally, Mayor Fowley with 20 Green Footmen, 20 Green Archers and 20 City Guards…Fowley had left after Beric had returned from whatever duties he had. They had exchanged a few words and you had told the news to Beric about the alliance between you and him. Beric had been ecstatic about the news, for him Alterac snatching up a town from Lordaeron was great news. A sign of both political and military strength.You told him to stay quiet for now until you reveal the move to everyone.You thought about finding your knights and talking with them, but you could talk with them during the march back home. Maybe you should go and go see if Jaina was still in the city or had she already left, you had no idea when you would have a chance to see your friend again.>Go say goodbye to Jaina and… to Arthas… before they leave back to Dalaran. You don't know the next time when you can see them.>Eligius and Nalice have been strangely absent from nearly everything you have been doing here in Southshore. Go find them.>You should talk with Elizabeth Maleb about the future of her family. You feel like that is your responsibility.>Other, write in.QM: Pastebins updated with the alliance stuff. I am still taking the name suggestions for the alliance with Tarren Mill. Darrowmere League is a placeholder for now. First real ally for Alric get! At least a one that isn't thirsting after him...
>>5723821>You should talk with Elizabeth Maleb about the future of her family. You feel like that is your responsibility.
>>5723821>Go say goodbye to Jaina and… to Arthas… before they leave back to Dalaran. You don't know the next time when you can see them.The Darrowmere EntenteThe mutual defence and fair trade coalition (MDFT) Could go with a play on the silver hand,Call it the silver shield or the (insert color) aegis
>>5723821>>Go say goodbye to Jaina and… to Arthas… before they leave back to Dalaran. You don't know the next time when you can see them.
>>5723821>Eligius and Nalice have been strangely absent from nearly everything you have been doing here in Southshore. Go find them.I think Darrowmere League is a great name already. You can shorten it to the League in conversation and if we ever expand enough to make the river irrelevant then we can just replace that part of the name.
>>5723821>Go say goodbye to Jaina and… to Arthas… before they leave back to Dalaran. You don't know the next time when you can see them.
Jaina and Arthas. Give me a roll!>1d10>Best of three
Rolled 1 (1d10)>>5724405
Rolled 6 (1d10)>>5724405
Rolled 5 (1d10)>>5724405
>6I need another roll please.>1d10>Best of three, taking the second roll
Rolled 8 (1d10)>>5724430
Rolled 2 (1d10)>>5724430
Rolled 6 (1d10)>>5724430
The weather was quite lovely when you stepped outside Beric’s home. The sky was clear and gentle with not that cold breeze coming from the sea that hit your face.Pulling your winter jacket a bit tighter around you, you set off to see if Jaina and Arthas had already left or if they were still in the city. And as you walked, you thought about the overall situation. Garithos was going to be the new Magistrate, you can't probably change that, but he has a hill to climb thanks to how he made himself look like a fool and how it pushed you and your neighbours closer. His orders for patrols were something you could prevent and resist. If he decided to try his luck, you were quite sure that it wouldn't be you who would lose. But if he was to invade… that would be a completely different situation. Over three hundred new soldiers into Hillsbrad will change the balance of power. Garithos could muster maybe five hundred men in total, a bit over the double you have right now, or even more if he took his time. That though was unlikely.But pushing your neighbours closer to you benefited you. Hillsbrad Fields and Durnholde were joining your market fair system which should bring in some coin to you. The statement against Garithos was written and Tarren Mill ended up allying with you. There were forty soldiers ready to help you. Thrown in Chief Ragis and his twenty men, in total that was sixty soldiers. Sure they were green and they didn't match the Regional Defenders or the Syndicate in numbers, but they did free your more skilled men to be used elsewhere.Then there were two things people outside of your closest circle of advisors and officers didn’t know. First the migrants from Underbelly with their wizards and mages. Secondly the Stonemason refugees from Stormwind. That meant at minimum several hundred new workers with potential recruits amongst them. That will cause waves like Magistrate Burnside liked to say.Alterac would grow and prosper.Alterac stands."Prince Alric.""Prince Alric?""Are you still there Prince Alric?" Malevus asked you."Ahh yes, sorry about that. I was lost in my thoughts." You said back to her and rubbed the back of your head."Prince Alric, we are leaving tomorrow?" Malevus asked you."Yes we are, what of it?""I would like to have your permission to go bother Lord Fordring." Malevus asked you."Bother? I guess he would be happy to share a word or two with you." You said back to your squire who looked like she had regained her strength after being quite ghoulish yesterday."Thank you Prince Alric." Malevus said and bowed before leaving.Now though where to find Jaina? You did have an idea.…>6>8>2Well your idea was wrong as they weren't in Golden Hyacinth. Apparently they were just leaving so you hurried through the city and found them at the stables surrounded by stablehands, servants, guards and such. 1/2
>>5724693You now saw that Arthas in fact did have a security detail with him as ten riders in high quality Lordaeron plate mail were waiting for them to leave."Hi Alric! You did come to see us!" Jaina shouted and waved when she saw you."I have no idea when I get to talk with you the next time…" You walked to her and stopped when you saw who was there.The large frame of Garithos in his armour appeared from behind a horse as he stepped to see who exactly had come."Princeling." Garithos greeted you."...so I had to come see you. It is going to be a busy spring and summer for me." You continued as you didn’t even give a look towards Garithos."Well you need to stay safe, don't get hurt." Jaina said and seemed sincere."You are launching your campaign, what will be your goal?" Garithos asked and scratched his moustache with his gauntleted hand."I won't, if I do I will have Malevus to save my life again ha ha ha." You said and laughed, no selling Garithos again."It is not a laughing matter Alric. I am serious!" Jaina said back and gave Garithos a look. She acknowledged that he was there."Serious about what… oh It is you." Arthas said as he came from the stables carrying his saddlebags."Prince Arthas.""Prince Alric.""You didn't answer my question." Garithos said to you."What question?" Arthas asked him back."What will be the goal of his campaign?" Garithos said to Arthas."Jaina is just worried that I will get hurt." You said to Arthas."Princeling, are you avoiding me and my question?" Garithos said back, this time clearly annoyed."Are you?" Arthas asked you as he kept looking at you and Garithos.>Completely no sell Garithos, you have no reason to answer him, he does not exist.>Yes, and then keep no selling him.>Yes and you aren't that stupid to tell him any of your plans.>Call Garithos an idiot for thinking that you would tell him anything risking the security of your men.>Tell Garithos to go away before he makes himself to look like a fool again.>Other, write in.QM: The first roll was if they had left, roll of 5 or under would have meant that. Second roll was how well Arthas was behaving and third was who was there to see them off.
>>5724694>Yes you are and he should go away before he makes himself to look like a fool again.I have the distinct feeling that if we ignore him he'll just continue to interrupt and be annoying.
>>5724694>>Completely no sell Garithos, you have no reason to answer him, he does not exist.
>>5724694>Other, write in.>My campaign is none of your business, I have no reason to answer you.>But if you insist, let it be know that I have no intention of breaking King's Terena's Edict. Only an idiot would want to do something like that.
>>5724694>>Yes, and then keep no selling him.
>>5724723And if my vote dosn't get support, I'll vote for a combination of this>Yes and you aren't that stupid to tell him any of your plans.>Tell Garithos to go away before he makes himself to look like a fool again.
>>5724694>>Yes and you aren't that stupid to tell him any of your plans.I suppose we could safely tell him our goal is safety and prosperity of the region. After all, it's something we've been saying (and working towards) for a while now.
>>5724694>>5724723 makes a good point though. Perhaps he's trying to insinuate that we'll violate the Edict and use our non answer to try to give credence to his hysteric narrative.Though I'd prefer the remark to be more venomous like "Though if you wish to imply through your questioning that I'd ever do something as reckless as violating the Edict then you're as delusional as you are hysterical."
>>5724723It's a nice jab but it would feel a bit cheap from us as we're not really fan of that edict either.Terenas looked vaguely sympathetic but it was still easier for him to muzzle us than to deal with our opponents. I wonder who we could actually seek out for support. Gilneas is probably out. Arathor as well. Varian will be seething once he hears we're sheltering stonemasons. Who's even left? Who is in Andorhal, Stratholme? Maybe there's some support to be found there... but first we'd need to deal with the trolls somehow.
>>5724746I also was trying to insult him on top of it, because he wanted to violate the edict.But now I'm thinking that Garithos might just be the type of asshole that would reply that us saying that we won't violate the edict makes us more suspicious.
>>5724747> It's a nice jab but it would feel a bit cheap from us as we're not really fan of that edict either.How would that make it cheap? The fact that we hate is irrelevant due to the also true fact that violating it would be extremely unwise.>>5724748> I also was trying to insult him on top of it, because he wanted to violate the edict.No, I saw that. But it's not as incisive because we're working from different positions in regards to the edict. It wouldn't be stupid of him to violate the edict on principle, it would be scummy and a bad look but not stupid. Does that make sense?> But now I'm thinking that Garithos might just be the type of asshole that would reply that us saying that we won't violate the edict makes us more suspicious.Sure he would but our direct answer makes the accusation much weaker so nobody besudes the already convinced war hawks like Garithos would be very convinced.
>>5724755It just seems petty to lean on the same document that has us furious just to dab on Garithos, which in itself is a waste of breath.It is however true that while we're coerced into respecting the edict through threat of violence, Garithos going beyond it is directly disrespecting his own king.
>>5724747>Who's even left?Some old friends...
Saying yes you are ignoring him, not telling him anything about the plans and telling him to go away seems to be the winning formula.Solid ideas on the jabs and potential insults so let's have a vote on your tone and if you want include them. If you have any other slights, jabs or insults, then throw them at me. Let's see how will Alric respond.>Polite, but disinterested. You have no energy to deal with him.>On the point with a jab or two. Don't cause more trouble.>Somewhat insulting, call him an idiot if he thinks that you are going to break the Edict>Venomous, call him delusional and hysterical if he thinks that you are going to break the Edict. Really make your opinion on him known.>Rip him a new one if marching here and thinking that you are going to tell him anything after how the meeting went is what he was planning on doing.>Other, write in>>5724812Hello Horde, my old friendI've come to talk with you again
>>5724812Grim. But hopefully it's not all that bad. There has to be some notables that don't have unreasonably emotional grudge against children of people who may have slighted them.>>5724825>Matter of factly, he's not worth making a scene.It's less of we have no energy but he doesn't deserve its expenditurehowever, if he insists on making an ass out of himself (again), we can pour some venom into his wounded ego.
>>5724825Either one of these>On the point with a jab or two. Don't cause more trouble.>Somewhat insulting, call him an idiot if he thinks that you are going to break the EdictMake it know, but don't go too far
>>5724825I mostly agree with >>5724830Say it matter of factly and if (when) he throws a fit then let the venom loose.
>>5724825>>Polite, but disinterested. You have no energy to deal with him.
>>5724825>Polite, but disinterested. You have no energy to deal with him.
"Yes, I am ignoring you. And no, I am not going to tell you anything about my plans." You stared into his eyes and spoke to Garithos with a steady, but clearly uninterested tone in your voice. "So please go away before you make yourself look like a fool… again."Garithos stared at you for a moment before scoffing aloud."If that is your choice Princeling…" He said before turning to face Jaina and Arthas. "Save travels, the road should be clear, but be wary of the weather.""We will be fine Lord Colonel, not often you get to travel with a mage from Dalaran." Arthas said back to the large man.Garithos saluted him and marched away without saying anything else."I don't like that man." Jaina said, reflecting your opinion as well."So the two of you are returning back to Dalaran?" You asked them."Yes, both of us have our studies to go through. Lord Antonidas is going to want me to catch up on the few missed days." Jaina said and sighed."Learning magic is a never-ending work, I can relate to that." You said back."You are learning magic as well?" Arthas asked you and raised his eyebrow."No… of course not. But just like Jaina has her studies, our duties as Princes don't stop when it gets dark or if the common folk have a holiday." You said back. That was uncomfortably close. "Especially when you don't have a small army of clerks running things and the inertia of a full kingdom behind you.""Alric is right, Lord Antonidas expects a lot from me so I have to cherish every second of freetime I have." Jaina said.Arthas nodded and agreed with his girlfriend."Speaking of time, we should leave now." Arthas said to her. "I would like to reach the tavern before it is too late.""I think that means goodbye for now." Jaina said to you and gave you a slight hug to the slight chagrin of Arthas."I think it does." You said and patted her back a couple of times before she took a couple steps away from you and went for her horse. "Don't get buried in the books.""I won't!" Jaina said as Arthas helped her up.>Just tell them safe travels and the usual well wishes.>Invite Jaina to visit Dawnholme come spring or summer>Invite Arthas to visit Dawnholme come spring or summer>Invite both to visit Dawnholme come spring or summer>Other, write in
>>5725275I kinda want to invite them, but I have a distinct foreboding feeling that something is going to happen to make that annoying. And more immediately important, we’d need to make sure we have accommodations fit for a Prince, literally. Hmm.What are the odds Calia would invite herself along?But then playing cat and mouse with Arthas…And then there’s politics. Between campaign and whatever shenanigans Garithos will be up to things could become hectic.I’ll go with>>Just tell them safe travels and the usual well wishes.But if fellow anons want to risk this sort of commitment…
>>5725275>Just tell them safe travels and the usual well wishes.We are going to be very busy soon.
>>5725275>Just tell them safe travels and the usual well wishes.We'll be a little too busy to play host.
>>5725275>Just tell them safe travels and the usual well wishes.Another time perhaps. We have many things to do and i can't see us having anything relaxed with Arthas around.
>>5725275>>Invite both to visit Dawnholme come spring or summer
You thought about inviting both of them to visit Dawnholme and Alterac, but in the end you didn't. It would have been too much trouble for you, having to avoid Arthas finding out about your business or Jaina learning about you studying magic.Though the idea of Arthas dragging Calia with him to Dawnholme did intrigue you, even that wasn’t worth it.“Safe travels and may the Light bless you on this journey.” You said to them.“I didn’t think you were a religious man?” Arthas said to you.“Let’s just say that my squire is a rather convincing person.” You said back to him and smiled.“Let’s say I will believe you this time.” Arthas said as he mounted his horse.“Then goodbye Arthas.” You said back to him. “Goodbye Jaina, see you sometime.”“I will try to make time for you, but no promises.” Jaina said.“I understand, then till next time.” You answered and waved as they left Southshore on horseback.Till next time, you wondered when that would be. Spring would mean the start of your campaign in Strahnbrad Hills, or well continuation of it. Summer would mean what? You weren’t sure, but you were sure that you would have something going on come summer.Sometimes you envied the life of the common folk, they had their hurdles and problems in their lives, but their lives were simple ones and at the end of the day if they had food on their table and a guard watching over their village or town, they would be content. You had learned to envy Arthas, a bit but still an envy, for he had the time to be with his girl due to who he was. If Alterac existed as a kingdom, maybe you would have the time to be in foreign cities and not be bothered with day to day running of the place.But that was your life, not to be with the one you love, but to provide for your people and ensure their future. Like you said, you had your duty and as hard it was, you would still do it.Watching them leave Southshore, you turned around and faced your bodyguards. Lieutenant Cromwell had been on point with the Royal Foot Guards right behind him unlike your knights. Where were they? Where was Eligius and Nalice?…You had asked Cromwell to look for them and some time later as the sun started to set behind buildings of the city, he managed to find them. Or they managed to find you.“Prince Alric.” Sir Gravis said to you and gave you a bow as you stood outside in the streets.. “There is something you need to see.”“Need to see, need to hear or do I need to be there?” You asked back.1/2
>>5725730“You should be there.” Sir Gravis said dead serious.“Anything to do with Eligius?” You asked back and waited for his answer.“Yes, but they are fine if you want to know that, they asked us for help.” Sir Gravis said to you. “You are not in danger, but Lady Nalice would want you to be there.”Whatever they were doing, it had involved Sir Gravis and his knights. But they had survived without you till this point and probably could survive without your presence. At some point you would need to learn how to delegate proper, you have your underlings, servants, officers and advisors for a reason.And you were planning on going to see Elizabeth Maleb before you would leave Southshore. You felt like you had the responsibility over her.>Follow him to where Eligius and Nalice are.>Tell him that they are on their own, they can handle the situation and inform you at a later date. You are going to go and see Elizabeth Maleb.>Other, write in.
>>5725731>Follow him to where Eligius and Nalice are.
>>5725731>Follow him to where Eligius and Nalice are.This sounds important.
>>5725731>>Tell him that they are on their own, they can handle the situation and inform you at a later date. You are going to go and see Elizabeth Maleb.
>>5725731>>Follow him to where Eligius and Nalice are.
Well it seemed quite important if Nalice wanted you to be there and it felt like Sir Gravis knew what had happened, but opted to stay silent and let Nalice explain everything to you. This did make you wonder if Sir Gravis and the knights had learned something about Nalice and why did she need the help in the first place?And next you thought that maybe you should go and retrieve the Robe of Obfuscation or would that take too much time? Sir Gravis did say that you weren’t in danger. Maybe you should have Lieutenant Cromwell and your Royal Foot Guards with you just in case? Maybe showing that you are there could be useful.>You aren’t in a hurry, go fetch the Robe of Obfuscation and conceal your presence. Whatever they have done, it is probably hush hush.>Have Lieutenant Cromwell take his men away. Sir Gravis said that you aren’t in danger so you don’t need them as bodyguards.>Official Alteraci business, have your bodyguards around you and don’t try to avoid being seen.>Other, write in.QM: Too knackered to write a longer update, so take a small one instead.
>>5726427>>Have Lieutenant Cromwell take his men away. Sir Gravis said that you aren’t in danger so you don’t need them as bodyguards.I reckon we don't need to bring entire entourage... if Gravis was already involved it's probably not too sensitive either and making detours would maybe make it more suspicious than it already is.
>>5726427>>You aren’t in a hurry, go fetch the Robe of Obfuscation and conceal your presence. Whatever they have done, it is probably hush hush.
>>5726427>You aren’t in a hurry, go fetch the Robe of Obfuscation and conceal your presence. Whatever they have done, it is probably hush hush.
>>5726427>>>You aren’t in a hurry, go fetch the Robe of Obfuscation and conceal your presence. Whatever they have done, it is probably hush hush.
“It is probably better if I am not seen…” You mused aloud. Whatever Nalice and Eligius had been doing, it was most likely something that doesn’t enjoy direct sunlight. Spy business, shady dealings or something else?You just hoped that they hadn’t uncovered a coven of warlocks in Southshore and wanted to recruit them. That wouldn’t be a pleasant surprise.Returning back to Beric’s home, you briefly greeted Tari and Beric who were doing something together and went to get the Robe of Obfuscation. The robe you had taken from the Syndicate assassin had proved to be working and was quite useful, but the fact that it existed worried you. How many more robes like this did the Syndicate have? Could there be more assassins or agents slumming around in Dawnholme and collecting information unseen?You needed more magic yourself. The people who will arrive from Underbelly should help you in that, but will it be enough or just a nice little start for something bigger? …“Prince Alric, it is good that you came here.” Eligius said to literally no one in sight when you stepped into the house he and the nights were in.Sir Gravis had led you through the city into a residential district next to the city wall. The houses there were abandoned and slightly in disrepair after the Alteracis who had lived there had moved to Dawnholme. No wonder a place like this would be of interest to Eligius and Nalice, this seemed like a perfect place for scoundrels and others to skulk around.“It is just our boss.” Joe said back.“Eligius, what is so urgent that I was needed in here?” You asked as you took off the hood of the robe and opened it.The knights in the room were surprised how you had just waltz into the house without them noticing while Eligius just looked at you finally.“You better follow me then.” Eligius said to you and seemed slightly nervous. “Sir Gravis, can you keep watch here?”“No one will disturb us.” He said and nodded.You allowed Eligius to lead you through the house to stairs into the basement. Opening the door, the scene surprised you a lot. You hadn’t expected to see what you saw.The basement was quite large with barrels and storage boxes all around it. What was all around it as well was what remained of two bodies. In the middle of the room stood Nalice in her mages outfit, she had dropped her magical disguise for some reason.“Prince Alric.” Nalice greeted you as you stepped properly into the room.1/2
>>5726980The first body had shrivelled up, like it had been burned and consumed from inside out. The second meanwhile was half-split open like its chest had burst inside out. And then you noticed the third man…The back wall of the basement was splattered with small bits of flesh, blood and intestines. A man had been there before very suddenly deciding to become minced meat. The sudden realisation of this made you nauseated, thank the Light you weren’t hungover right now.>Just turn around and walk away. You don’t want to get involved in whatever this is.>Nalice and Eligius must have a good explanation for all of this.>What happened to these men? How were they killed?>In how big of a trouble Nalice and Eligius are right now?>Other, write in.
>>5726981>Nalice and Eligius must have a good explanation for all of this.
>>5726981>>Nalice and Eligius must have a good explanation for all of this.
>>5726981Oh boy.Let’s hear it.>Nalice and Eligius must have a good explanation for all of this.
>>5726981>Nalice and Eligius must have a good explanation for all of this.let the bodies hit the floor
>>5726981>Nalice and Eligius must have a good explanation for all of this.>What happened to these men? How were they killed?>Other, write in."Was this act done today with so many important lords and ladies in Southshore ? Or is it older ? Who would be capable of it ?"
>>5726981>What happened to these men? How were they killed?Alric is haunted by murder mysteries.
I am seeing nearly unanimous voting result. The update will come later this evening, but before it I do need to ask you, what do you think has happened in here? Any reasonable or wild theories?
>>5727125Some sort of magic fight I'd say, these wounds are way too anomalous to be mundane. You haven't given us much more to deduce from even if the fact that magic users were fighting in a basement in Southshore is already significant.
>>5727125Too many possibilities.Amateur demon summoning gone wrong?Some cult operation? Syndicate, perhaps?If Nalice and Eligius didn’t leave traces of their own magery we could tip off the paladins to handle this. Eligius the scribe was looking for leftover Alteracis and found something horrifying… eh better leave speculations for after explanation.I also really don’t want to learn that it’s all Nalice teaching Eligius augmented interrogation.>if we end up getting involved in an occult investigation, our partner in local authority will be GarithosAieeeeeeeeee
>>5727125I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they just stumbled upon the scene and that they weren't responsible for it Otherwise they are probably conducting some sort of ritual.
>>5727125here some- A criminal deal gone wrong resulting in 3 blasted criminals- Warlocks playing with Fel in secret, resulting in their death or the ones of "volunteers"- Very foul dark sacrifice in secret- Torture session of Syndicate spies/assassins on 3 Alliance soldiers/officers- New Murderer killed, cut to pieces and then throw the corpses of his victims here- 3 peasants found a Fel artifact and attempted to use it for mass produce very cheap alteraci brandy, but it resulted in their explosion (blackmoore is actually behind their death, he didn't want his favorite drink reputation to be fouled even more after what happened at Durnholde, this time by being mass produced by a bunch of peasants)Whatever it is, it must have been done by someone familiar with Southshore and that can access to it. So they should be humans, likely.
....and you might think the alteraci brandy one is a wild theory, but who isn't here in Southshore and was incredibly angry at the lost of his brandy..... look at the pieces of the puzzle connect anons....
…or it could have been a demon summoning gone *right* except the fucked up the binding part somehow and now there’s a demon on the loose
“Lady Nalice, Eligius…” You said to them and covered your mouth with the back of your hand. “You better have an explanation for all of this.”“Eligius.” Malice said and allowed him to be the one talking.“Prince Alric, we came to Southshore with a plan to finish our investigation on Foreman Davis and we did it.” Eligius said to you.“Continue…” You said and waved your hand. Davis couldn’t be responsible for this.“Davis is only a crook, he buys construction materials from his partner here, moves them to Dawnholme and sends some of it back or sells them elsewhere. We followed his partner and found some of the stolen goods we had marked back in Dawnholme. Then the partner would sell the goods bought by your coin again. That is how they made the system work. Along with our goods, Davis and his partner have been fencing other stolen goods through Dawnholme with the help of our trade carts.” Eligius told you. “A crook, resourceful one who is part of a bigger system of fences. It is a stereotype, but the man was a former miller.”“Good work on Davis, but how is he relevant to this?” You said and pointed at the two bodies and the smear on the wall. “Whatever this is.”“The one missing half of his chest… is the partner.” Eligius said through gritted teeth.You took a couple steps towards the man and looked at the body. Outwardly nothing seemed unusual, he was just a normal man wearing normal clothes.“We… Lady Nalice noticed that he was scratching his nose quite often as we followed him.” Eligius said.“Dream Dust, a potent drug, highly illegal everywhere.” Nalice said. “Very difficult to make, so often it is laced which causes…”“One to scratch their nose.”“Precisely Prince Alric, we followed him so that we could get some leverage on him…” Nalice said.“For later use against him, to blackmail?”“To extort and bleed, what we need from him.” Nalice said and gave you a sly smile.“We followed him here and found out that he was arranging the transports for the drugs, some potentially through Alterac. So yesterday we approached him and arranged this meeting.” Eligius told you.“An eccentric noblewoman from Stormwind City might want to have some fun sometimes.” Nalice said while smiling. “He thought he hit the jackpot.”Eligius gave you a nervous smile before continuing to speak.“Today he got us here, but his partners became jumpy.” Eligius said to you.“So you killed them.”“Not before they revealed this.” Nalice said and pulled out a bundle of papers wrapped in orange cloth from underneath her mage armor.1/2
>>5727192“Is that?”“Yes, yes it is.” Nalice said and her smile disappeared. “Syndicate bandana and their shipping manifests.”“We met them here and when their leader decided to threaten us with fel magic…” Eligius said carefully. “Lady Nalice…”“I killed them all, no one threatens me like that.” Nalice said with a tone full of malice, terror and incredible power. You had felt only a portion of this before, but now you could sense it all. She didn’t need to give you her mana for you to feel like something scorching was inside of you. A drop of sweat appeared on your brow and now you understood why Eligius feared her. Such an incredible power radiated from her.You took a couple steps back and closed your eyes to think. Davis embezzled your goods with his partner. Said partner, now dead, was a drug addict who transported Syndicate owned drugs into Southshore. And now the Syndicate cell was dead thanks to Nalice. Davis probably had no idea what he was part of, but finding a Syndicate cell like this wasn’t something you wanted to learn about. It made sense for them to be dealing drugs, a criminal organisation wants to have a full control of the underworld of crime and have multiple sources of revenue.But now there were three bodies, well two bodies and plenty of bits and pieces, in a basement and sooner or later they would be missed by the Syndicate. Even if Nalice had killed them in self-defence, she made a mistake killing them like that. And there needs to be a way to deal with this as cleanly as possible.Thank the Light you went to fetch the Robe of Obfuscation. You definitely didn’t want to be associated with any of this.>What is in the boxes and barrels? Dream Dust?>What is their plan regarding the bodies?>Why are you exactly needed here? Couldn’t they have resolved this without you?>Why are Sir Gravis and the knights here?>Take the shipping manifests and go through them.>Demand Lady Nalice to explain to you, why did she kill them? She has created a big problem. Let her know that you disagree with her actions.>Other, write in.QM: Spicy theories!
>>5727192>>5727194Just as I thought; a magic fight, even if it was an extremely one sided one. I hope with this Alric realizes that of Nalice is this fucking powerful and she has a great respect for her superior the what does that make Kastrana? She seemed like and intricate webweaver but this suggest she's a lot more than just that.Anyway I want to ask all the questions but in sets. First one being:>Why are you exactly needed here?>Why are Sir Gravis and the knights here?I can guess the answer but I'd like to hear it from the horse's mouth. Secondly:>Take the shipping manifests and go through them.>What is in the boxes and barrels? Dream Dust?And thirdly:>Demand Lady Nalice to explain to you, why did she kill them? She has created a big problem.>What is their plan regarding the bodies?I find it dubious that someone like Nalice killed them purely out of pride. Is that really the reason? If so, what is she going to do to fix this mess she's responsible for?
>>5727194>Take the shipping manifests and go through them.>What is their plan regarding the bodies?>Why are Sir Gravis and the knights here?
>>5727194>>What is in the boxes and barrels? Dream Dust?>>What is their plan regarding the bodies?>>Why are Sir Gravis and the knights here?>Take the shipping manifests and go through them.we'll be taking this I reckon. Technically it should belong to alliance authorities but we'd have to be suicidal to bring this to them right now.If things happened as they describe then I can't really begrudge Nalice for what she did, and it's a possibly important piece of information for us on what sort of person she is.wouldn't it be funny if Garithos tried to arrest Nalice for murder, arson and indecent exposure?
>>5727194>>What is in the boxes and barrels? Dream Dust?>Take the shipping manifests and go through them.
>>5727194>>What is in the boxes and barrels? Dream Dust?>>What is their plan regarding the bodies?
>>5727125Some of the Alteracis who lived here were summoning demons or practicing necromancy and those people likely moved to Downhole with everyone else.
“What is in the boxes?” You asked them, having opened your eyes. “Dream Dust?”You shook off the scorching hot feeling inside of you. Nalice wasn’t just a mage, maybe not an archmage either. A webweaver, a spymaster, a servant to Lady Katrana whom she called her Mistress. There had been a fight, a magical fight of very one sided nature, either the warlock in service of Syndicate was absolutely no match of Nalice, or she was just extremely powerful. Who was she? Who really was she?Could you trust her?“Trade goods.” Eligius said to you. “The drugs hidden within.”Eligius walked to one of the barrels and opened it, taking out an onion.“Some have this.” Eligius threw the onion away and went to open another barrel, taking out a small parcel amongst more onions. “And others have this.”“So this is the place where they were moving the goods?” You asked him.“Yes.” Nalice said and presented the papers to you to read. You took them from her hands and opened them.A shipment from F.C, moved to a location near Durnholde and then to Southshore by your now dead friend. A shipment from F.C, moved to a location near the bridge over Darrowmere River, moved through Dawnholme to Tarren Mill and then to Hillsbrad Fields. A shipment from F.C, moved to a location near Southshore and then to Hillsbrad Fields and finally to Dalaran.The list continued, locations and routes crisscrossing all over Durnholde and Hillsbrad. You scratched your chin as you read it, the routes and shipments, their dates, all of it was way too common and way too often. How widespread was their program to spread and sell the drugs, this Dream Dust? At least to your luck, none of the shipments that were mentioned to have entered Dawnholme did end up there, all of them continued somewhere.“So what we have here are the drugs that were supposed to end up in here?” You asked.“Or moved elsewhere with ships, the documents end here and we didn’t find anything else in here or in their bodies.” Eligius said to you. “We searched the house while we waited for you.”“What of the drugs that entered Alterac?” You asked them. “Did Davis handle them?”“Not to our knowledge, at least not willingly. If he handled them, then they were amongst the stolen goods he was moving around.” Eligius said back.“Speaking of which, what is your plan regarding them?” You said and pointed at the bodies.You didn’t like it, three bodies with two mostly intact was going to cause a major investigation if found. A blind man could see that magic was involved which would get the church or even Dalaran involved. Not speaking off the potential trails and findings of the Syndicate that could work as leads to everyone else.“Dream Dust is highly combustible.” Nalice said. “We will burn this all down.”“The neighbouring houses are all abandoned, even if the fire spreads fast, people have a chance to flee… that is if it spreads from house to house.” Eligius told you.1/2
>>5727338“Have you searched the house? Completely?”“Abandoned, only things we found were on their bodies.” Eligius continued.“So why were Sir Gravis and his knights here?”“As our bodies, a noblewoman needs convincing bodyguards.” Eligius said to you.“Did any of them learn about you?”Eligius looked at Nalice, he didn’t know how to answer.“Sir Gravis… he was down here… he saw it all.” Eligius confessed.Damn it, now Gravis knew about Nalice. One more person to hold that secret, but maybe you could trust Gravis. He didn’t seem like a person to talk about these things to others. Even if you had just drunk yourself into stupor with him, you didn’t think he would be talking about things like this.And to burn this all down. It would be the easiest choice as it would erase the evidence around the deaths, even with the danger of the fire spreading. But maybe you should give a lead to the local authorities or turn this into proper Alteraci business? If you got your footmen here, you could bar anyone from approaching until the place is cleaned up and you had your drug trade evidence. Would Garithos try to force his way now that Arthas had left the city? You weren’t sure.>Give a go ahead for them to burn this all down, after you and the knights have left the premises.>You are going to give a lead to local authorities regarding the drug trade and wash your hands off with this case. Let Southshore handle this.>Nothing will happen by your hand, whoever finds all of this gets to handle it. Back off and leave it all like this.>Make this an official Alteraci business. You are here to stop drug trade as some of the drugs moved through Alterac after all.>Other, write in.
>>5727341>>You are going to give a lead to local authorities regarding the drug trade and wash your hands off with this case. Let Southshore handle this.
>>5727341Could we not clean this in a more subtle way? Surely Nalice has some magic that could fix this riiight? It's a mess SHE made riiight?If she refuses then>Give a go ahead for them to burn this all down, after you and the knights have left the premises.No way am I letting the Alliance get another bullshit excuse to put their nose in our business. Nor do I want Garithos to muscle his way here trying to find out what the Princeling is up to.
>>5727341>Give a go ahead for them to burn this all down, after you and the knights have left the premises.
>>5727341Problem with setting shit on fire is that it can easily get out of control and get innocents killed, and even if it works as advertised all it takes is someone to claim to have seen our men near it to cause more problems for us Could we come up with story where our men pursued a potential syndicate lead that tried to use their black magic on them and it backfired? Technically ig would be even true and we could hand it over to paladins rather than garithos.Nalice would then be at risk though.
>>5727431Well we already helped put out one big fire started intentionally, whats another to the list?
At the end of the day I suppose going full ham might be for the best. The network seems to go deep into alliance territory and if we get them involved to sufficient degree garithos will be unable to arbitrarily fuck shit up. We have Troubridge and Fordring in town right now, but the latter is going to leave so if we want him involved it'd be now or never.>Make this an official Alteraci business. You are here to stop drug trade as some of the drugs moved through Alterac after all.
>>5727341>Give a go ahead for them to burn this all down, after you and the knights have left the premises.>Other, write in.Be seen running from our room to help put out the fire later (that we were totally not the cause of and was no where near when it started), and rallying the locals to help put it out.
>>5727341I am considering grabbing the shipments and have the bodies be placed somewhere else. A bit risky.i am not sure about giving the lead because it would evolve in something else possibly, and the Alliance could very well start investigating even near us. Maybe even accusing us.If we go with official investigation, we would need to take out Beric. Like immediately, and we didn't come down on him so far because we can learn info on what he does.
>>5727761>the Alliance could very well start investigating even near us. Maybe even accusing usI'd say that's virtually a given regardless of what choice we make. We may have worn our robe, but if someone noticed Eligius, Nalice or Gravis in the area, Garithos will have a cause to request them into custody. Of course we can laugh in his face but it's still an unpleasant situation and spanner in our work on relations with the neighbourhood.Taking charge of the affair straight away would give us at least some chance to control how the story develops, something we can't have if we run away. Not to mention being responsible for additional damage and obstruction of justice.
>>5728010> Taking charge of the affair straight away would give us at least some chance to control how the story develops.What makes you think this will be different from the time we told the Alliance about Aliden? They will just dismiss whatever story we have if we give them anything that could even slightly justify tightening our collar.
>>5728010In what sense do we have any control over the story? Even having our name on it would be reason for suspicion simply because anyone critical of us would look for one and assume the worst.Better to deny them any information at all and let them assume based on nothing but their bias.
>>5728012That is outside our control. We have a super suspicious murder on our hands in the middle of south shore and are discussing whether to compound it with arson. Absolute best outcome we can hope for is that we’re able to destroy the evidence and get away, gambling that our cleanup doesn’t get out of control and set the city on fire AND that Garithos is too incompetent to find any connection to us. Although that alone is probably not enough as syndicate will likely be happy to tip him off.Raising the alarm now could at least earn us support from Fordring. Actively sabotaging Southshore on the other hand will cost us our moral credit.
>>5728046By being able to tell our account before other parties make up their mind about it and showing we’re serious about fighting the syndicate.It would be convenient if we could escape without leaving any traces but that’s not something we can reliably do with the fire alone, and our presence in city together with events of the meeting are reason for suspicion enough, especially when our siblings’ friends pitch in.
>>5728050You didn't answer the question. What makes you think this will be different from the time we told the Alliance about Aliden? We had our sympathisers then too and that only got us out of house arrest.Confessing to being in someway connected to this mess, as you suggest, is a recipe for disaster. I'd like for Nalice to clean up her own mess but failing that, destroying the evidence is the only sensible option.
>>5728056We didn’t have soldiers with us then, but that’s beside the point. Proposed attempt to destroy the evidence is unsubtle and all it does is defer the backlash and make it worse, unless we’re extremely lucky. If we’re moderately lucky it will earn us time to leave the city first.Nevermind danger to innocent bystanders.
No update today, the weather is killing me. I will write it tomorrow.Though I must say, good discussion about pros and cons of different solutions.
>>5728063> Proposed attempt to destroy the evidence is unsubtleTrue. Again, I'd prefer if Nalice fixed this issue by utilizing the same super powers she used to create it.> all it does is defer the backlash and make it worseHow? How would it be definitively connected to us? No physical evidence, no substantial witness testimony and no confession.> unless we’re extremely lucky. If we’re moderately lucky it will earn us time to leave the city first.Not really. How is such luck required? No concrete evidence could be found about our involvement. We could even turn this into an optics win by helping put out the fire.And again, how is confessing to our involvement any better? You still haven't adressed how poorly that went for us and why it would be different now.
>>5728072>How? How would it be definitively connected to us? No physical evidence, no substantial witness testimony and no confession.You cannot make even a single one of those assertions. For the meeting itself, sure. But for presence of our retinue around the scene immediately before the fire, no.>And again, how is confessing to our involvement any better? You still haven't adressed how poorly that went for us and why it would be different now.Because it's irrelevant, circumstances are different. We're not in middle of Varian's keep and alone. If you mean to say that Garithos will muster soldiers he has on hand to fight us then say so outright."confessing", if that is how you want to call walking up to Fordring and speaking of syndicate using fel magic while trafficking drugs, and our intention to investigate that, could give us a chance to take initiative from Garithos who would otherwise be first to handle the affair. Possibly with involvement of syndicate that will also want to know what happened to their cell and may use the chance to send more grief our way.And you're consistently ignoring that if we, for the sake of expedience, take actions that may ruin livelihoods and kill innocent civilians here, not only is that morally wrong, it will also cost us what support we do currently have.anyway I'm going to sleep. I've said my piece anyway.
>>5727341>Make this an official Alteraci business. You are here to stop drug trade as some of the drugs moved through Alterac after all.
>>5728109> You cannot make even a single one of those assertions.The first and third one I can. For the second, it's a very likely in my book. Given the appropiate setup, our soldiers will be nowhere near the fire in both the time and place it started.> Because it's irrelevant, circumstances are different.What? It absolutely isn't. Most of the Alliance leadership hated our existence then and they still do so now. Im not afraid of Garithos himself but the people he represents, if they get word of this there will be hell to pay. You thought expelling the garrison was an unthinkable risk yet you want to give them an even better excuse? Expelling Alliance soldiers from our territory is too far but admitting to involvement in a fel using drug business is acceptable? Us having the initiative and being the first to tell the story was irrelevant with Aliden and it's irrelevant here. The opposition has shown that they will use any involvement with criminal elements, however miniscule, as a just reason for chaining us.We'll have to agree to disagree but Im simply flummoxed by your reasoning so far. I can't see the over all plan, system or method.
>>5728127>We'll have to agree to disagreeSo it appears. Our assumptions are irreconcilable. Also, you seem to misunderstand what "make this official business" means. Read rest of the entry: "You are here to stop drug trade..."With garrison it is our choice how to respond politically to a decision an alliance officer did outside his mandate. Here we're someone who chanced into a crime during clandestine investigation and are choosing whether to commit worse crime with potentially devastating consequences because we hope that we can do so gracefully enough to not get caught and have our men keep silent about it.In the best event, we'd be left with knowledge we chose to risk lives of innocents for our convenience. I'd unironically rather get thrown into alliance jail than do that. And in worst case, Garithos will be able to secure testimony of peasants/townsfolk that saw Nalice, Eligius or our men heading towards the old slums, not unfeasible at all especially if Syndicate chooses to help him - our siblings probably wouldn't, but those who work against them will.With all that being said, if we end up setting things on fire, I'd like to amend my vote >>5727442 that in that case we should only incinerate the bodies to cover for Nalice, do not risk a city fire.
>>5727341>Make this an official Alteraci business. You are here to stop drug trade as some of the drugs moved through Alterac after all.i guess it is better to just take charge of it, besides it happened to alteracis in the the former alteraci shantytown, it would be strange if we don't get involved.
>>5728052>Hey everyone this is my story, please believe me because I told you first, and how I am involved but not really! Don't trust or believe anything anyone else says including people, or you own gut instinct or anything negative about me even though you dislike me!Also please forget our brother runs the fucking syndicate!That's incredibly naïve.
>>5728415>>5728052Please explain your plan of "optics management" from start to finish, and how it would help.
>>5728548In one path we make good on our earlier commitment to fight syndicate for benefit both ours and our neighbours'.In the other path we join syndicate in fucking shit up in hopes we don't get caught. And as far as "optics" are concerned, a disappointment to everyone we could currently call our ally with possible exception of the spooky powerful women.
this decision is becoming less easier the more i think about it. Staying here would mean we cannot return to Dawnholme for a while,perhaps if the dust is placed away and detonated under the sea with a spell there would be no risk of great fire.What if we give information about this criminal organization, in exchange for keep under control people like Garithos ?
>>5728596That's not very satisfactory, I'm not convinced.>>5728610How would that work? Garithos has it out for us, giving him anything will be giving him and people who want to work aginst us more ammo. Didn't we already go public with everything we were willing to share back infront of King Terenas?
>>5728415>"The opposition has shown that they will use any involvement with criminal elements, however miniscule, as a just reason for chaining us."Did you not read this? We chanced into Aliden's crimes too and it didn't matter one bit. We were involved therefore we were punished but Im done arguing since we're just going in circles now.
“Do you have magic that could make all of this go away?” You asked Nalice and continued. “Because frankly this is a mess and these bodies can’t be connected to you or especially to me.”Nalice looked at you questioning your words with her eyes. She knew that you didn’t approve of her actions.“Yes… it won’t be that easy, especially with our friend on the wall.” Nalice said to you. “But burning everything down is a convenient backstory. Like I said, Dream Dust is highly combustible.”“There is an alternative…” Eligius said to you.“Which is?”“Prince Alric, we take the drugs that we can find… Dream Dust could be very useful to us.” Eligius told you. “If mixed with clear alcohol and breathed in, it will knock a grown man out. Increase the dose and everything smaller than an ogre will fall asleep.”“To use as a medicine?”“Or more like a tool for our spies.” Eligius said.“There are better chemicals for that than Dream Dust, you know that.” Nalice said to her apprentice.“But the better chemicals are much harder to acquire, these are without any real strings attached.” Eligius argued back.This did give you some options. There was the risk of the fire spreading beyond this house, but with that there would be no traces outside of what remained of the bones. People will think that it was just criminals who managed to burn themselves alive after the fire was done and extinguished. But what Eligius suggested could prove to be useful, a sleeping drug like that sounds like a very useful tool to have for your spies in the future. What you knew was that you couldn't go to the authorities, it would be too risky move for you for a multitude of reasons.>Burn it all away, leave no traces that you were here. Even with the risk of the fire.>Have Nalice use her magic on the bodies, take the Dream Dust with you like Eligius suggests.>Take the Dream Dust like Eligius suggests, and burn everything else down.>Other, write in.
>>5728711>Have Nalice use her magic on the bodies, take the Dream Dust with you like Eligius suggests.There, the best choice has presented itself. Nalice better make this right.
>>5728711>Have Nalice use her magic on the bodies, take the Dream Dust with you like Eligius suggests.hippity hoppity eligius going to the dream land.
>>5728711>>Have Nalice use her magic on the bodies, take the Dream Dust with you like Eligius suggests.Very well then. Eligius better make sure that every gram is accounted for. We don't want to start a drug problem in Dawnholme. Or elsewhere for that matter.Next hurdle I suppose will be to slip the contraband out of the city...
>>5728711>>Have Nalice use her magic on the bodies, take the Dream Dust with you like Eligius suggests.
>>5728711>Have Nalice use her magic on the bodies, take the Dream Dust with you like Eligius suggests.
>Have Nalice use her magic on the bodies, take the Dream Dust with you like Eligius suggests.QM, do we know how addictive this stuff is? Like is there any cure or treatment if our agents or civilians back home get exposed by accident?I wouldn't mind burning it all away if it wasn't dangerous to the town if things get out of control.
>>5728711>Burn it all away, leave no traces that you were here. Even with the risk of the fire.
>>5728809Opium x20
>>5729082Quite powerful
>>5729082If that's really the case I'd rather switch to burn it all away. No need to risk poisoning our own people with that shit.
“Then use your magic, how hard it ever can be to get rid of the bodies.” You ordered Nalice. “I want all traces of the bodies to be gone, they can’t be connected to me or to you.”Nalice gave you a faint smile and did a polite nod.“And Eligius, take the Dream Dust.” You said. “Though how will you transport it to Dawnholme?”“That isn’t a problem Prince Alric, it won’t be that difficult to get it out of Southshore.” Eligius said and gave you a deep bow.“And I do not want to have a drug problem in Dawnholme, that stuff is better to stay safe and secure.” You continued.“Do not worry about it, we won’t allow it to happen.” Eligius assured you.“Good, I can’t have any of this to be known by outsiders. We are already in a shaky enough of a situation where we cannot give Alliance, Garithos, Silver Hand or whoever else a free tool to be used against us.” You said to them.You would probably have to talk with Nalice when you have returned to Dawnholme and continued with your magic training.“I am going to leave now and I don’t want to hear or see anything about any of this while still in Southshore or afterwards. I want everything to be clean and untraceable.” You continued telling them.Nalice smiled at you when you turned around and left the basement.…You had given the knights the order to leave the house one by one and go different directions before gathering together at Beric’s home. You didn’t want them to be followed or being tracked to the house they had been in. Though the issue with Sir Gravis having learned that Nalice was a mage did now exist.You decided to not think about it at least not right now. You would have time to ponder about it at a later time and a date. Now thought you were standing outside the house with the Robe of Obfuscation over you, concealing you with its magic. The day had turned into late afternoon with the evening slowly approaching and clouds had covered the sky. Breathing in the mild winter air of Southshore, you thought about what to do next. You still had some unfinished business, but you could also do something completely different.>Go talk with Elizabeth Maleb, you feel like that is your responsibility after all of this.>Sir Gravis and the knights have returned back to Beric’s home. You should learn what happened during the night of drinking. This could also give you a chance to speak with Sir Gravis about Lady Nalice.>You have the Robe of Obfuscation, go snoop around and see what Garithos is doing. Maybe you could find something useful or aggravating.>Return back to Beric's home and just rest. It has been a long and tiring day already.>Other, write inQM: Seems like server hiccups are over.
>>5729597>Sir Gravis and the knights have returned back to Beric’s home. You should learn what happened during the night of drinking. This could also give you a chance to speak with Sir Gravis about Lady Nalice.Time to give sir gravis The talk. AKA the importance of espionage in alteracs defense especially against the syndicate.
>>5729597>Go talk with Elizabeth Maleb, you feel like that is your responsibility after all of this.
>>5729597>>Go talk with Elizabeth Maleb, you feel like that is your responsibility after all of this.
>>5729597>Sir Gravis and the knights have returned back to Beric’s home. You should learn what happened during the night of drinking. This could also give you a chance to speak with Sir Gravis about Lady Nalice.He's gonna need someone to talk to. Better that person is us sooner than someone else.
>>5729597>Take Gravis aside for a talk, hear out if he has concerns and ask that he be discreet about Nalice's abilities. She is a powerful help, but we're aware of who she is beholden to, be careful about her.Perhaps this might not take too long to keep us from also visiting Malebs afterwards? But I feel we should caution him just so Nalice doesn't see him as a threat to herself that would need to disappear or something similarly drastic.
I will write the update tomorrow as we have a tie between Sir Gravis and the knights and visiting Elizabeth Maleb.
>>5729597I'd like to do as >>5729637 suggested and talk to Gravis about Nalice before going to visit Elizabeth.
“So some local bloke had challenged you to a drinking game and you couldn’t say no to it. Then I arrived and somehow got pulled into the game.” You said and sighed. “We continued drinking and one by one you dropped from the game?.“More or less.” Thomas said back to you.“But after that what happened, because that is what I can remember.” You asked the knights.They all seemed somewhat uncomfortable after you had called them to the living room and told them to tell you what they remembered about the night out drinking. They too didn’t seem to remember everything.“We drank a lot and… the locals tried to join us, but couldn’t keep up with us… mostly you though Prince Alric.” Joe said to you.“But did anything happen?” You asked back.“At one point a bunch of women tried to join us and uhhh… Empleton went with one of them, but when one of them tried to approach you, you drove her away.” Sir Gravis said back and glanced at Empleton.“Drove away?”“Yes, you didn’t allow her advances to continue.” Gravis continued.“I see, and then?”“Well after Joe dropped, Empleton left, then Thomas dropped and the locals called it quits.” Gravis said to you. “It was just me, you and Lady Malevus.”“And Malevus apparently sang for us?”“You asked her to sing and then I… I have no memories next.” Gravis said to you. “By all accounts you won Prince Alric.”That didn’t really ease your mind that much, but it seemed that nothing egregious had happened.“Well thankfully nothing else had happened?” You said with an asking tone. “Have you heard anything?”The knights looked at each other for a moment.“Apparently the locals were impressed by your drinking ability, we heard that last night.” Joe told you.“Not often do they get to witness a Prince to drink one of their own underneath a table and then take on his bodyguards next.” Gravis said and continued. “They were rather impressed.”Impressed? Well that went better than you had expected. Having teleported like that from jolly fun drinking to your bed hadn’t been fun at all. Who knows what could have happened.“Alright, you may leave.” You said to your knights and watched as they stood up and went for the door. “Sir Gravis, please stay.”He gave you a questioning look as he stopped and before he took a chair and sat back down. The remaining knights filed out of the room and closed the door behind them.1/2
>>5730600“What is it Prince Alric?” Gravis asked you.“You know what it is about Sir Gravis.”“Lady Nalice.”“Precisely, what did you exactly see?”“Don’t dare me to tell you Prince Alric.”“Sir Gravis, you are going to tell me what you exactly saw in the basement.” You ordered him.Gravis shifted in his seat uncomfortably.“The man, he exploded into pieces and scattered across the wall. The second man shrivelled up suddenly on the ground and the third, he just had his chest blown out.” Gravis told you and you realised the concern in his voice before he continued. “Who the fuck is she, because she ain’t a normal scholar who is here to teach you some languages or math or history or something.”“What are you suggesting?” You asked your bodyguard.“She ain’t no normal mage, I have seen my fair share of magic before and none of them could sling spells like that.” Gravis said to you this time fully serious. “Should we follow her?”>You aren’t sure who she exactly is, but you are going to find out.>She is dangerous, she created a great risk to you, by killing those men.>Lady Nalice isn’t dangerous, just very prideful and sure about her skills.>Sir Gravis shouldn’t worry about her, he has your word for that.>Other, write in.>Have Lady Nalice be followed by Sir Gravis.>Forbid Sir Gravis to follow her and watch over her.QM: This bloody heat is killing me here.
>>5730603>She is dangerous, she created a great risk to you, by killing those men.>Forbid Sir Gravis to follow her and watch over her.
>>5730603>You aren’t sure who she exactly is, but you are going to find out.>Forbid Sir Gravis to follow her and watch over her.
>>5730603>She is dangerous, she created a great risk to you, by killing those men.An unnecessary risk for a bogus reason. Killed them out of pride? Bullshit. She has an unknown agenda and is willing to compromise our goals in service to that agenda. I want to talk to Eligius at the next opportunity to make sure he knows this.>Forbid Sir Gravis to follow her and watch over her.She would too easily find out so she wouldn't reveal anything she didn't want us to know and whatever that is wouldn't be shown for our benefit.
>>5730603>>She is dangerous, she created a great risk to you, by killing those men.>Forbid Sir Gravis to follow her and watch over her.
>>5730603>Lady Nalice is dangerous, but she is an ally for now.>Do not follow her, there are other threats we need you to be watchful for."I wouldn't worry about it"On that note we might want to look into countermeasures about magic of charm or enthrallment, for both ourselves and Eligius. We don't know extent of her, or Katrana's, agenda, but in fairness we did ask for her and she does what we asked her for, and more.
“Lady Nalice is a dangerous person, the fact that she killed those three men just like that is proof of it.” You said to Gravis and continued. “Three members of the Syndicate or aligned with them being killed and now disappearing, is going to be noticed by them sooner than later.”“Which is going to be a problem.” Gravis said back to you.“If she can clean away the bodies, leaving no trace that could be connected to us, then we should be fine. But the fact that she has to clean up her own trail after causing such a scene in such a way… it speaks ill of her.” You said with a deep sigh.Outside of her being mysterious servant of Lady Katrana, being a skilled mage and knowing about the fel arts of warlocks, this was the first true stain on her reputation that you can’t explain with anything. Previously you could have argued that her knowledge just comes from the fact that she isn’t from Dalaran, but instead had learned in Stormwind City where the reach of Dalaran isn’t as strong and the restrictions placed upon the mages as strict. But now it would be difficult to argue even that, Nalice was hiding something. She wasn’t what she said she was. A worrying thought came to your mind, does Lady Katrana know about all this? If she does, why does Katrana trust Nalice? Katrana was a seductive and manipulative noblewoman, but she has only been helpful towards you.You didn’t want to go accusing Katrana about something Nalice had done, but now the seed of doubt had been put into your head.“We shouldn’t follow her, Nalice would notice you fast and it wouldn’t help us at all.” You said to him.“Then Prince Alric, what will we do?” Gravis asked.“I will have to talk with Eligius. Nalice is smart, she knows that I will talk with him. Ultimately both of us know that I am going to talk with her.” You told Gravis. “But at the moment, we won’t do anything. It won’t do us any good.”“I understand, still it leaves me a bit uneasy knowing that she could splatter me or you just like that.” Gravis said and this time he sighed deeply. “I try to be your bodyguard, but guarding against stuff like that, well it ain’t easy.”You nodded in agreement.“Just for now, we are going to continue as is.” You said and stood up from the chair. Gravis followed you.“I am just going to tell you that I don’t trust her.” Gravis said. “But I will do as you say.”“I will keep that in mind.”…You had walked to the Maleb residence with your knights and had knocked on the door. The sun had started to set and the mild breeze had turned back into a cold one.“Prince Perenolde.” The butler greeted you with a stiff bow. “The Malebs aren’t taking any visitors right now.”“Will they take a message, they might want to see a visitor if they could hear what I have to say?” You asked the stiff man.“They might, then what is it?” The butler asked back.1/1
>>5731138Choose one:>You wish to meet with Elizabeth Maleb and talk with her one more time about what had happened in Durnholde and in here.>You wish to meet with Elizabeth Maleb and discuss the news around Colonel Garithos.>You wish to meet with Elizabeth Maleb and ask what she and her family are going to do next?>You wish to meet with Margaret Maleb, you don’t want any bad blood to stay between you and her.>Other, write in.
>>5731138>>You wish to meet with Margaret Maleb, you don’t want any bad blood to stay between you and her.Something something reaffirming commitment to eradicating the kind of criminal elements that would resort to murder for political gains, that is not what Alterac should be.After all, it's for sure among reasons why Alterac was brought to ruin in the first place, our father wanted to assassinate Uther or something iirc
>>5731140>You wish to meet with Margaret Maleb, you don’t want any bad blood to stay between you and her.
>>5731140>>You wish to meet with Margaret Maleb, you don’t want any bad blood to stay between you and her.
“I wish to meet with Lady Maleb.” You said to the butler. “I will be leaving tomorrow and I don’t want bad blood to stay between us, not knowing when we could see each other again.”The butler gave you a polite nod.“I will inform Lady Maleb.” He said to you before closing the door, leaving you standing around with hands in your pockets as you waited for the answer.It didn’t take that long for the butler to return with her answer.“I am sorry, but Lady Maleb doesn’t take visitors and it is quite late already.” The butler politely replied.It wasn’t that late, but you understood what the butler was trying to politely tell you. “Then I will make my leave, tell Lady Maleb that I appreciate her for listening to my request.” You said.The butler gave you a bow before closing the door again. Well, you had expected this to happen at least somewhat. Lady Maleb wasn’t exactly eager to see you the first time and why would the second time be any different to that?Stepping back to the street, you didn’t get a chance to take that many steps back towards the direction of Beric’s home when you heard the door opening.“Prince Alric.” You heard a familiar voice to say. “Good that you hadn’t left yet.”Elizabeth Maleb took several quick steps when she left her home and closed the door behind her. She had clearly left in a hurry as her winter jacket wasn’t closed and she had her fur hat still in her hand.“Miss Elizabeth.” You greeted her. “I came here to speak with your mother, but…”“I heard the butler…” Elizabeth said to you as she put on the fur hat and closed her jacket. “It is her loss.”As she stepped closer and away from the lantern that shone light by their door, Thomas gave you the lantern he was carrying as a light.“But not yours.” You said and took the lantern. “Shall we go somewhere else away from the street?”“Prince Alric,I know a place.” Elizabeth said back to you.…You hadn’t expected to be standing on top of the city wall near their residence. It was already dark and you couldn’t see anything beyond the wall, but you knew that Hillsbrad and Alterac was right there.“I slipped out and came here to watch the views more often when I was younger.” Elizabeth said to you. “My Pa would get very angry every time I got caught. He feared…”“That you would fall off and get hurt.” You said back to her. “I liked to climb into the trees near the Royal Palace when I was young.”“Was your father angry about it?” Elizabeth asked.“Hmmm, not really. He didn’t appreciate it, but he was often so busy that the servants who found me climbing in the trees didn’t tell him.” You told her and continued. “Your father was angry, because he cared about you.”“I know…” Elizabeth replied and continued after a pause. “What did you want to talk about?”1/1
>>5731740>What is she and her family going to do next?>Tell her about Garithos and ask what she thinks about the news regarding him.>You are going to promise that the poisoner of her father will be caught.>Ask what she wants to talk about?>Other, write in.
>>5731740>tragedy that befell her father was due to ruthless ambition and pride that makes a man place greed for his own power and wealth above lives of others. That is not the world we wish to promote, not something we wish to build lives of our people on. We will do what we can to ensure the criminal organization that inflicted this will never do anything of the sorts again.>Ask if she has thoughts to share, or hopes to pursue
>>5731742>I really did want to make peace. That dreadful business was only the fault of the Syndicate, not of anyone else. And tearing everyone apart is exactly what they want to do.>What is she and her family going to do next?>Ask what she wants to talk about?
>>5731742>>What is she and her family going to do next?>>Tell her about Garithos and ask what she thinks about the news regarding him.
>>5731742>>What is she and her family going to do next?>Tell her about Garithos and ask what she thinks about the news regarding him.>Ask what she wants to talk about?
>>5731742>What is she and her family going to do next?>Ask what she wants to talk about?>Ask if she has thoughts to share, or hopes to pursue.
“I really did want to make peace, but I can’t force your mother to see me. So instead I will have to ask you, what are you going to do? You have heard the news, right?” You said to her.“We have and even without the news, we wouldn’t have stayed here.” Elizabeth said and looked into the darkness that was Hillsbrad beyond the walls. “Ma couldn’t stay here, too many memories.”“Then where will you go?” You asked.“To Capital City, Ma has family there.” Elizabeth turned back to face you.“So you will be provided for and Capital City is not a bad place to be in.” You said.“Have you ever visited Capital City?”“I have, it is a beautiful city.”Elizabeth liked what she heard and for a brief moment the sadness you could see in her eyes disappeared.“Well I can only wish you luck in a new environment. Compared to Southshore Capital City is so much bigger and with the Royal Palace being there, you will be awfully close to politics. So remember what we spoke about with your father in Durnholde, keep your eyes and ears open. It can be a cutthroat place if you ever get involved in this business.” You said to her and realised your mistake quickly. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have mentioned Durnholde…”“Don’t worry Prince Alric, your words come from a good place.” Elizabeth said back.“Thank you.” You said and gave her a nod. “Is there anything you want to talk about?”Elizabeth looked back into the darkness towards Hillsbrad and Alterac.“I would have wanted to visit your home. I heard so much about you in the past two years or so and everytime it was something new and wonderful. Bandits and gnolls defeated, this charismatic man gathering the Alteracis together and building a new future for them.” Elizabeth told you and continued. “And then I got to meet you in Durnholde and I need to be honest Prince Alric, but you weren’t what I expected you to be.”Ouch… or well how did she expect you to be?“I had met Prince Arthas before and he was courteous and had that regal air around him. He was tall and handsome and he commanded the room with his presence.” Elizabeth said and continued speaking. “You were rather normal, the image I had didn’t match at all with you. You were soft-spoken and smart, but you weren’t like Prince Arthas.”“Are you saying that I am not handsome?” You said as a jest. “I know Arthas is taller than me, but handsome?”Elizabeth blushed a bit and you started to laugh.“Don’t worry about it, if I were to guess it is all the worrying I do and having been in exile for many years.” You said back to her and smiled. “If I weren’t a Perenolde, sometimes I think that I would have been content living in The Headland in my farm and just be a normal farmer. Maybe it is that.”1/2
>>5732758“That is exactly what makes you different from the others.” Elizabeth said. “You are different from them, it makes you stand out.”“Do you have any thoughts to share… hopes to pursue? What do you want to do in the future?” You asked Elizabeth. “Is there anything I can help you with?”Elizabeth seemed slightly surprised about that question as you seemed quite frank with it.“I guess… I would like to know more about Alterac… and help people.” Elizabeth said after thinking about the answer for a few moments.“Know more about Alterac and help people?”“Yes, helping those who are poor and less able are things said to be altruistic and one of the prime virtues a person can have according to the Church.” Elizabeth said to you. “And because I have heard so much about you and your people, I would love to see what you have accomplished and what kind of people are Alteracis? Are they like you or… like your brother and father.”Noble goal of wanting to help others and be altruistic. Quite idealistic, but you can’t fault her for that. But learning more about Alterac, that did surprise you a bit. Did you really give her such a good image of yourself that she now wants to learn more about you and your people? Or was it just the very obvious crush she had on you. You have had way too many cases of women falling for you to not notice the signs of that anymore. You have learned, you aren’t as dense as before.>Commemorate her for wanting to help others, but be blunt, it will be an endless road to walk on, but can be very rewarding if she can stay on it.>If she truly wants to help people, the Church is the easiest way of accomplishing that. They will appreciate volunteers and those who are willing to help them.>If she wants to learn more about Alterac, maybe she should go and find Michael Trand. He is the leader of Alteracis in Capital City and should help her if your name is mentioned.>If she truly wants to learn about Alterac, then go against the wishes of her mother and join you in Dawnholme. If she wants to help people, there are going to be plenty of refugees coming there soon.>Other, write in.
>>5732759>Commemorate her for wanting to help others, but be blunt, it will be an endless road to walk on, but can be very rewarding if she can stay on it.
>>5732759Give her 2 options, go to Capital City with her mom or go to Dawnholme with us.If she chooses the former:>If she truly wants to help people, the Church is the easiest way of accomplishing that. They will appreciate volunteers and those who are willing to help them.>If she wants to learn more about Alterac, maybe she should go and find Michael Trand. He is the leader of Alteracis in Capital City and should help her if your name is mentioned.If she chooses the latter:>If she truly wants to learn about Alterac, then go against the wishes of her mother and join you in Dawnholme. If she wants to help people, there are going to be plenty of refugees coming there soon.Regardless of what she decides:>Commemorate her for wanting to help others, but be blunt, there will be a lot of difficulties and that she must be careful to not let her generosity and kindness lead to her being taken advantage of.I think this edit is better than the original.
>>5732759Acknowledge her selfless ideals but warn her that it can be a trying path.Helping under auspices of the church seems like the most straightforward path, especially in the capital city. We can offer her that she'd be welcome to pursue that calling in Dawnholme as well, but I wouldn't suggest encouraging it. Her mother probably needs her support more.I'd also rather not direct her towards Trand's community, further she stays from Syndicate the better.We can also mention that as people go, Alteracis are not really that much different from other people. We have our history that ties us together, for better and worse, but at the end of the day our blood is all the same colour.
>>5732759>>Commemorate her for wanting to help others, but be blunt, it will be an endless road to walk on, but can be very rewarding if she can stay on it.>>If she truly wants to help people, the Church is the easiest way of accomplishing that. They will appreciate volunteers and those who are willing to help them.yeah
>>5732801+1
>>5732801>>5732759support
No update today, but commemorating her for her want to help others is the winner along with letting her choose either following her mother to Capital City or coming to Dawnholme with us.So let's have a vote if Alric pushes her towards either of those two options.>The decision is hers and hers only. You won't give her anymore guidance.>Push her to join her mother in Capital City. It is a better place for her to grow and learn. It is also a much safer place to be than Alterac and doesn't get her in trouble.>Try to get her to join you in Dawnholme. The life will be different than in Southshore and she is practically running away from home, but she will learn a lot. Maybe Malevus and Raleigh could need a helping hand.
>>5733568>The decision is hers and hers only. You won't give her anymore guidance.It's her life so it's ultimately up to her. Advise her to sleep on it though given the enormity of the choice.
>>5733568>The decision is hers and hers only. You won't give her anymore guidance.
>>5733568>>The decision is hers and hers only. You won't give her anymore guidance.
>>5733568>>The decision is hers and hers only. You won't give her anymore guidance.we can share our views but we can't decide this for her.Also this >>5733572>Advise her to sleep on it though given the enormity of the choice.
>>5733568>>The decision is hers and hers only. You won't give her anymore guidance.Ia a big decision think on it
It is her decision. Could I have a roll please. Instead of asking for the standard 1d10 twice, we are doing the rolls in one go.>2d10>Best of three, taking the second roll of the first 1d10
Rolled 6, 8 = 14 (2d10)>>5734137
Rolled 8, 10 = 18 (2d10)>>5734137
Rolled 6, 2 = 8 (2d10)>>5734137
"Your want to help others is worth commemorating, but I have to be blunt." You said to her. "The road of helping others can be both very rewarding and difficult. But you have to be careful that your generosity and kindness is not taken advantage of."Elizabeth seemed to think about what you said and let the words sink into her head."Being unselfish is not an easy thing to do, it is so much easier being selfish and doing everything for you and you only." You continued. "Probably that is why it can be so rewarding.""You are talking about Alterac." Elizabeth said to you."Being a Prince is a duty. Duty towards your people. Without them I wouldn't be here and I can only do but give them back as much as I can." You said."About Alterac…" Elizabeth tried to start saying."You want to learn more? Then the best choice would be to come to Alterac itself." You said to her and continued. "I think we will have space in Dawnholme for you and extra helping hands are always needed, especially come the spring. But I cannot tell you to just come and leave your mother, this isn't an easy decision at all. You should sleep on it and think carefully about what you want to do in the future.""I…I understand." Elizabeth said."Though going to Capital City and helping others through the Church is probably the easiest way to do it and I can bet that the work never ends." You told her. "And there is a large Alteraci diaspora in Capital City as well.""There are Alteracis in Capital City?" Elizabeth asked you."There are and I think if you were to find a man named Michael Trand, he would be willing to tell you about Alterac if you were to tell him that I mentioned his name." You said."I see…" Elizabeth mused aloud."Whatever is your decision, even if it is something completely different, you should take time and consider what you will do. You have the luxury of time and not being in a hurry. There is no pressure other than whatever will come from your decision." You said and finished. "That is what I wanted to say.""Thank you Prince Alric. I will think about this hard…" Elizabeth said as a sudden stiff breeze got through her jacket and she felt the coldness."We should leave now before you get sick." You said to her. You had noticed that she hadn't been wearing that much clothes before she closed her long winter jacket."You are right." She said before hugging you suddenly. "I don't believe in those vile rumours about you. You aren't what some people say you are."You carefully patted her back."And I am sorry about your father…" You carefully said back to her."Thank you… I know you mean it." Elizabeth said and let go of you. "Shall we go then?""Yeah, that breeze was a bit too much."1/3
>>5734476As you escorted her back to her home and said goodbye to her, you wondered where she would end up in life? Having clearly lived a quite sheltered life till her visit to Durnholde, she was rather inexperienced in all things. While she had and has taken the death of her father rather well unlike her mother, she wasn't an adult yet. At least she shouldn't be, but maybe the situation forces her to grow up faster than she or anyone wanted her to.You wondered would she really travel to Alterac and Dawnholme or would she go with her mother? If she chose Dawnholme, you could bet that her mother and extended family would be quite unhappy about it. Similarly they might not like it if she goes and talks extensively with Trand and the Alteracis either.Annoying situation really, but she would make the decision which is best for her, you were sure about that as she was a good person.When would be the next time you saw her though? Indecent thought popped in your mind about her vast tracts of lands and seeing them, and you quickly shook it away. Now is not the time to think about her mountains that rival those of Alterac.Damned the Light! You thought about them again!…>8>8>10The next morning you were early at the stables with your knights and Royal Foot Guards. Your horses were nearly ready as were the horse carts that had been sent to join you by Beric as they had goods and such to be moved and needed in Dawnholme. A dozen or so of his workers and a pair of caravan guards joined you and suddenly you had an even larger entourage than you did when you left for Southshore."Is everything ready?" You asked loudly enough for everyone to hear."Knights are ready Prince Alric." Sir Gravis said."Sire, we are all ready." Lieutenant Cromwell said back to you.Malevus opted just to nod as she seemed really sleepy. She had apparently returned back to Beric’s home really late after having bothered the Silver Hand till it was evening and then went on to pray in the church. While Tari who sat comfortably in the lead horse cart under several furs gave you an assuring nod as well."Alright, if we have everything ready, then let's go." You said and mounted Epona.Unlike with Arthas and Jaina, Garithos or anyone else didn't come to see you off. Not even any clerks or servants. Just a few guards and stablehands who were already there.Nalice and Eligius were missing as well, but they most likely had an explanation like getting the Dream Dust out of the city without being spotted and found.Then it was just a matter of going back home.2/3
>>5734477After several short rests to eat your rations and spread your legs so that they don't freeze, you arrived at the border of your territory. There a patrol of your men spotted you and came to escort you for the last short portion of the trip back home.And during your return journey you had been thinking where would you start with? Garside should know about the events that had happened after all. The news about Garithos and his new position and how he slighted you? That Tari was pregnant with Blackmoore’s child? What about the Syndicate drug trade, you probably shouldn't tell him about what Nalice did though.Choose one:>Garithos, his position and orders with the aftermath.>Tari and her pregnancy with Blackmoore’s child.>Syndicate drug trade and Foreman Davis and his embezzlement of your goods.>Other, write in.QM: Rolls were about the overall feeling of Southshore about you as you left and then two mystery rolls.
>>5734479>>Syndicate drug trade and Foreman Davis and his embezzlement of your goods.
>>5734479well we're going to be talking about all of the above, but I suppose we should start with the most important, so Garithos and the league. From then we can segue into the syndicate operations.Taretha's child is something Maura will find more interesting I guess. Political implications of having Blackmoore's bastard in our household are not really the most pressing matter right now, even though it may be funny when the child comes forward with the documents Blackmoore handed over...
>>5734479>Garithos, his position and orders with the aftermath.
>>5734479What he >>5734503 said. The first and third are the most important things to disclose in this debrief with the second needing only a footnote.
>>5734479>Tari and her pregnancy with Blackmoore’s child.
>>5734479>>Garithos, his position and orders with the aftermath
"Sir Gravis, when we reach Dawnholme, could you please make rounds and see if any of my officers are around and not in Shoredon. I would like to have them present." You said to him."Another meeting Prince Alric?" He asked back. "Yes, we need everyone informed about Garithos and the change in the political landscape." You said to him."Understood Prince Alric." He saluted you while you pulled your horse around and waited till Tari reached you."What is it Alric?" She asked."Can you handle and get all of my stuff inside, we are going to have a meeting first and then later we will discuss… you know…" You said and glanced down at her belly."Yeah I can handle it… and don't worry, they will understand." Tari said and was a bit nervous."I hope so." You said and rode further down the line to Lieutenant Cromwell. "Meeting when we reach Dawnholme. Get the men to rest and then come to the manor.""Yes Sire." He saluted you.Alright, now that was done. Now just to get back home and get the meeting going.…"Well shit." Arthur Rover said."Pardon the swearing, but what Arthur means is that we are fucked if he decides to come knocking." Alfred Rover continued what his brother had said.You had told them about Garithos, his new position as the Magistrate, Regional Defenders moving their HQ to Southshore and what he had told he would do."Sire, I have to concur with what the brothers said." Beckston said to you.Along with Sir Gravis and Lieutenant Cromwell, you had Normand Garside, Lieutenant Beckston and the Rovers around the table. You had been lucky with Beckston as he had just arrived a couple of hours before you."The opposition he got from our neighbours should slow him down as hopefully will our official complaint to King Terenas as well. Mayor Fowley and Magistrate Burnside can't accept that he stepped over the civil service like that." You told them. "And he did make himself look like a fool.""How so?" Normand asked you curiously.You told them how the meeting had went and how he had lost his patience with you and how you had made him realise that he fucked up hard. As you finished telling what happened, the brothers started laughing."Prince Alric, you really showed him his place." Arthur said as he stifled his laughter."Place or not, his orders for increased patrols and doubling the garrison are bad news." Normand said and scratched his head."We are not going to accept said orders as they go against the Edict and our sovereignty." You said back. "We will reply, but the exact diplomatic form needs to be chosen.""Sticks and stones…" Beckston rhymed."Yes, we could give the patrols around King's Road long staffs. Getting hit would hurt, but wouldn't kill them." Gravis replied.1/3
>>5735487"We do not want dead Regional Defenders accidentally." You said back to them. "But for the reply we do have several options.""Captain Reginald is in a tough spot. He is reliable in the field and has been cordial every time I have met him." Normand said and sighed before continuing. "What do you have in mind?""Starting with my own letter to King Terenas arguing my points and ending with evicting the garrison and making Garithos persona non-grata." You said and shrugged.There was a bit of a pause as Maura brought all of you some hot tea to drink and you used the break to collect and realign your thoughts."Garithos has his supporters, but if King Terenas could see my points, it could be useful to us. Then there is Lord Uther, but I do not know how much he could help us." You told them.Normand and Cromwell weren't happy to hear about Uther, but they knew that you and him had a good relationship."Complete eviction would be a very strong message that we do not accept the actions of Garithos and that he has managed to ruin what the Alliance managed to achieve in Stormwind City." You said and continued. "There would be a risk of retaliation, but…""High risk and high reward." Arthur said."If his bosses think that he messed up, removing and replacing him could return the status quo." Alfred said and continued. "Seen that happen and work once or twice before.""If everyone knows the rules of the game…" Arthur said."... then it can work. Escalate to de-escalate." Alfred finished.They were talking about their experiences in Stormwind. Makes sense that street gangs would want to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Would such a strategy work with Garithos, that you didn’t know."Evicting only half of the garrison is on the table." Cromwell said."Or we could start acting really annoyingly towards them." Sir Gravis suggested. "Search everything that goes in and out of the garrison, set up a checkpoint and all that.""The men that make the garrison are innocent in this." Normand pointed out. "They are pawns and nothing more.""I agree with Normand." You said back. "Making their lives difficult here doesn't help us.""Then what else could we do?" Normand asked."Making Regional Defenders and Garithos unwanted in Alterac. We do not deal with them directly with Garithos becoming completely unwanted." You said."Harsh, but justified." Beckston replied."It is unlikely that we deal with Garithos directly that often. Making him a persona non-grata would send a signal, but not change the situation that much." You said.2/3
>>5735489"Prince Alric, our response should be strong. They need to realise that they messed up." Beckston said to you firmly. "Lord Proudmoore would have already mobilised his fleets if any of his neighbours slighted him like this.""They are going to watch this unravel very closely." Normand said back. "Then what do you think we should do?" You asked all of them.The Rovers unsurprisingly supported a more high risk, but high reward approach of evicting the full garrison and making Regional Defenders and Garithos persona non-gratas until pre-Garithos status quo was achieved. Cromwell, Gravis and Normand were all more careful. None of them wanted to evict the full garrison and Cromwell only accepted evicting half of it. For them Garithos was at fault and not the Regional Defenders themselves. Beckston's aggressiveness surprised you as well. He supported a similar approach to the situation as Rovers did, but he would also be willing to use force to evict or drive away any possible Regional Defender patrols that arrive into your territory.There were your options that didn't go into calling the Edict off territory or threatening them with direct military action. Letters to your friends and allies with Terenas and Uther being the most likely to maybe see your points, but maybe you could reach someone else as well? Going hard with the eviction could be the signal that needs to be sent, but if you go hard with it and then with making them persona non-grata, it could be too strong of a response. On the opposite side, too weak a response could make them more willing to push back. While too average of a response might not change the situation at all.You felt like you had to go hard in some portion of your diplomatic reply for them to take you seriously, but in what? Eviction? Making them unwanted? Using force to drive away their patrols? Then there was also the defensive alliance with Tarren Mill. It will be seen as part of the consequences of Garithos actions automatically and as a part of this diplomatic response. Taking that into account, maybe you don't have to go as hard? Maybe?>Send letter to King Terenas>Send letter to Lord Uther>Send letters to write in>Evict the full Regional Defenders garrison>Evict half of the Regional Defenders garrison>Do not evict the garrison>Prevent Regional Defender patrols from arriving to Alterac with force>Arm patrol around Dawnholme and King's Road with wooden staffs. Non-lethal way to keep Regional Defenders away.>This does not require a military response.>Make Regional Defenders and Garithos persona non-gratas. Alterac will not deal with them at all.>Make Garithos a persona non-grata. All diplomacy and replies will be handled by a third party>Do not make them persona non-gratasQM: Please vote on all four. With letters if you have ideas to whom to send them and what arguments to use with them, please write them in.
>>5735490>Send letter to King Terenas>Send letter to Lord Uther>Evict half of the Regional Defenders garrison>Arm patrol around Dawnholme and King's Road with wooden staffs. Non-lethal way to keep Regional Defenders away.>Make Garithos a persona non-grata. All diplomacy and replies will be handled by a third party
>>5735490>Do not evict the garrisonalthough with arguments presented I'm no longer as firmly opposed to this as before, I still don't believe evicting the garrison would do more good than harm. There's enough real threats to justify keeping them around especially under a friendly commander.>Arm patrol around Dawnholme and King's Road with wooden staffs. Non-lethal way to keep Regional Defenders away.They have better places to be patrolling than our lands, especially if they're unwilling to commit to actually clearing the road (which is kind of good for us since we want to be the one controlling it eventually)>Make Garithos a persona non-grata. All diplomacy and replies will be handled by a third partyNow the letters.>Send letter to King Terenas>Send letter to Lord UtherThese seem rather obvious. With Terenas we can emphasize implications of having military taking over administration for politics across rest of the kingdom, especially under someone like Garithos. With Uther we can emphasize that this course of action binds both our own forces and those of regional defenders away from every single other threat in the region - bandits, gnolls, ogres and obviously syndicate. He won't defy the king, but arguments from his mouth will go further than ours.What other factions can we address?>DurnholdeThese probably won't count for much but we could ask Blackmoore/Langston to argue against regional defenders bothering us when there's gnolls and blackrock orcs around>BarovsSomething we have on todo list, even if their offer was outrageous maybe there is something we could agree on and they may have contacts>DalaranThese will probably not see particular need to speak up in our favour, especially once their rejects start trickling our way.>Gilneas>StromgardeTheir interest clash directly with ours, but I can't imagine Greymane being too pleased about military buildup without civilian control.Who else is there?>Andorhal, Stratholme, StrahnbradAnyone we know there, or could just send messages to their magistrates that they might be next to be replaced by military commanders when it's convenient to someone with appropriate ambition.>Tyr's HandI guess we could also remind ourselves to Fordring. Maybe ask Malevus what feel she has about him.>Elves, DwarvesProbably not worth the trouble. Although maybe we could raise with them an issue that Alliance is abusing its military to detriment of both governance of its own constituents and security against external threats.
>>5735490>Send letter to King Terenas>Send letter to Lord Uther>Evict the full Regional Defenders garrison>Arm patrol around Dawnholme and King's Road with wooden staffs. Non-lethal way to keep Regional Defenders away.>Make Garithos a persona non-grata. All diplomacy and replies will be handled by a third partyThe garrison has to go if we want to make clear that Garithos sent any diplomatic build-up that has been made to the trash.
>>5735490>Evict the full Regional Defenders garrisonEither this or no eviction at all. No half measures!>Prevent Regional Defender patrols from arriving to Alterac with force.The point is to confront and harass, not come to blows. Keep your weapons sheathed and only draw them in self defense.>Make Garithos a persona non-grata. All diplomacy and replies will be handled by a third party.He's the problem, get rid of him and all this hooplah will end. That's the message we want to pass.As for the letters, Im kinda fucked up with a cold atm but here goes:>Send letter to King TerenasBe diplomatic and argue about the etiquette and respect owed to a royal and how Garithos went so far beyond what is acceptable that we have been left with no choice but to respond. That he has recklessly threatened the stability of the region with his tyrannical threats and ambitions.>Send letter to Lord UtherA more candid version of what was said to Terenas. He helped us out when we were getting screwed over before and we ask him to help us since we're getting screwed over even harder now.>DurnholdeHey Blackmoore you're our bro yeah? Listen to what this dickhead Garithos said to me... Imagine he had said that to you. You understand? Back me up in this diplomatic crisis as Fowley and Burnside have.>Barovs (Jandice)You wanted to conduct business with me yes? I can't do that very well if Garithos gets his way and humiliates me. The more the Alliance pressures me the closer I hold my cards to my chest. Help me now to help you in the future.These are the people I think will be most helpful though maybe have Malevus try to rope the elves into this could also help. I also may be forgetting the leaders of some regional settlements. Anyway, Dalaran is too isolationist and the Alliance members too hostile so I don't think messaging them won't help.
>>5735490>Send letters>>5735668all of this ones.Also update Katrana on this, she's an ally and powerful. Telling them who are our enemies and friends might help us. >Evict the full Regional Defenders garrisonSorry Reginald>Arm patrol around Dawnholme and King's Road with wooden staffs. Non-lethal way to keep Regional Defenders away.Keep our weapons. We don't want them here, but we don't want wounded or dead men >Make Garithos a persona non-grata. All diplomacy and replies will be handled by a third party.
Evicting the full garrison, arming your patrols with wooden staffs and making Garithos a persona non-grata seems to be the winning choices.You are going to send letters to Terenas, Uther, Blackmoore and Jandice as well, but anyone else who could help you or at least be interested about the news?The update comes tomorrow, I am too tired to write today so you still have time to vote and discuss. I will also try to update the Socials and Stats pastebin tomorrow as well.
>>5736120who else among the mentioned notables is it feasible for us to contact?I mean it would be kind of lackluster if our diplomatic counteroffensive ended with letters to Terenas and Uther and a few of our neighbours, but it's not like we have a lot of contacts.
>>5736126There are couple that come to my mind that could be contacted, but they would be somewhat unlikely to be of help.What I am really looking for is more concensus outside the four already decided. Some of the mentioned could actually be rather receptive of the issues, while some not so much.
>>5736126Well it is a regional issue at it's heart so I don't think a response from the regional players is underwhelming.As for who we should contact, Calia could act as a voice in Terenas' ear though she would need to find out about the crisis through someone else lest our line of communication be exposed. Kastrana would also be good, she has vocalized her desire to help us yes? Now that we have found out how powerful Nalice is, we have reason to believe Kastrana may actually be even more powerful and influential than she already seemed.Could also talk to Malevus like I suggested. Who knows, maybe she'll surprise us with some good connections?
>>5735490>Send letters to the people the other anons mentioned>Evict the full Regional Defenders garrisonNo time for half measures>Prevent Regional Defender patrols from arriving to Alterac with force>Make Garithos a persona non-grata. All diplomacy and replies will be handled by a third party
>>5735490>Send letter to King Terenas>Send letter to Lord Uther>Evict the full Regional Defenders garrison>Arm patrol around Dawnholme and King's Road with wooden staffs. Non-lethal way to keep Regional Defenders away.>Make Garithos a persona non-grata. All diplomacy and replies will be handled by a third party
>>5736207For alliance it might be regional issue, but our arguments against it are more principle of things - putting garithos in charge of a city, arbitrary use of military for political gain, casting doubt on royal decrees by breaking and stretching them. The kind of thing even parties not directly affected now could relate to in a way of "what if I'm next? would my neighbours step up for me?"Although there's of course also risk that if we bring the issue up further afield we may end up bringing more parties against us, in this case they'd be acting against their interest just to put down that alteraci upstart.As for Malevus, I don't much like idea of making her get out of incognito mode to take advantage of her connections. Maybe if she'd be willing to tell us names who we could write to that could be sympathetic, without need to refer to her by name?
>>5736483This issue is not big enough to overcome the natural NIMBY attitude of most people Im afraid. The opposition would have to establish a pattern of this behavior before these uninvolved parties would think of incidents such as this as more than a footnote or gossip.As for Malevus, Im not too in the details about it. Just spitballing for possible sources of support.
I have been ridiculously busy for the past two days due to sick cases at work. I will push the update for tomorrow, but before that could I have a standard roll please.>1d10>Best of three
Rolled 8 (1d10)>>5737822Let’s roll.
Rolled 8 (1d10)>>5737822
Rolled 9 (1d10)>>5737822
>>5737856Good rolls Good rolls Alterac stands.
"Captain Reginald is not going to like this, but we will evict the full garrison. Sure it was placed there by the Alliance, but we cannot allow Garithos to walk over us just like that." You said to them. "The message needs to be clear, this all is happening because of him and sooner his actions are retracted or he is removed from the position, the sooner we can return back to normalcy."There were approving nods across the table, but Normand did seem somewhat concerned."And speaking of Garithos, he will be made a persona non-grata. Alterac won't deal with him directly from this day forward." You said."Evicting the garrison and doing that to him, sure that is a message for everyone." Beckston said. "Everyone will see that it was his fault and we are just reacting to him."The Kul Tiran had found a home here in Alterac and you were happy to have a skilled officer like him with you. It also showed to outsiders that they were welcomed here and not pushed away because they aren't Alteracis. It did help that Beckston had found a wife and gotten married too."That is the plan Lieutenant, we really need to hammer that point home. We have nothing against the Regional Defenders themselves, but only against Garithos." You said and continued. "Speaking of that, acquire those wooden staffs and give them to the patrols near and around the King's Road. If he decides to send the patrols here, I don't want any accidents or deaths.""Understood Sire, I will have the men pick up staffs starting from tomorrow." Cromwell said back and you replied with a nod.…>9There had been a second short break when Maura brought more tea for everyone and you told your officers that you were going to send letters to people that might listen. King Terenas and Lord Uther being the two foremost ones, but you were also going to send letters to Lord Blackmoore and Lady Jandice Barov.Lady Jandice being mentioned did get their attention, but a quick explanation that it is her family that technically owns the land around Tarren Mill, keeping her updated is a smart move. You didn’t mention that you were also going to ask Malevus if she had any ideas to whom to send a letter or two, maybe her master Voren'thal the Seer should receive a letter from you?"There is one more important thing to mention. I met with Mayor Fowley and Magistrate Burnside. We discussed this and drafted together a letter, mainly it was their letter, but I threw my name in there to support them." You said. "While Burnside wasn't that receptive to increased cooperation, Mayor Fowley was.""Where are you going with this?" Normand asked."Mayor Fowley agreed to join Alterac in a defensive alliance." You said back to him. "They will rely on our help to defend themselves and less on Regional Defenders or others." 1/3
>>5738801No one really knew what to say, not even Normand who usually knew what to tell you in situations like this."Sire, I don’t believe much will change for us. Our patrols already stop in Tarren Mill rather often." Cromwell said to you."More cooperation in that front, maybe station ten men or so there near permanently through patrols stopping for a longer period of time. But outside of that you are right." You said."The Alliance and Lordaeron won't like that." Normand said to you. "But they can only blame themselves for it. They neglected the defence of Tarren Mill after all, no wonder they will look up to you."You had thought that he would be disappointed for such a move which puts you somewhat at odds with Lordaeron, but he seemed proud instead."Sounds like a thing worth celebrating." Beckston said to all of you."It is, let me go get the glasses and wine." Normand said and stood up from the table.Well, you hadn't expected this festive response to the news.…One glass had turned to two before you had dismissed your officers. The orders were simple, the staffs would be distributed to the men and you would start writing the letters while new patrol arrangements would be made to include Tarren Mill in them. Cromwell would leave for Shoredon in a couple of days and on the way he would go and talk with Mayor Fowley about the details regarding Tarren Mill. You meanwhile would call Captain Reginald to visit you in a couple of days and personally tell him about your decisions. He would then act as your messenger and return back to Southshore and deliver your proclamation to Garithos.Now you were alone with Normand in your study as you had asked him to follow you there. The black noise device, in its small bag, was on your table as you sat on it. No one outside the room would hear what you were talking about. You had poured a third glass of wine for each of you."What are you going to do with Foreman Davis?" Normand asked you after you had told a shortened version of what Eligius and Nalice had found out about him and the Syndicate drug trade. You had left the killed men and the fate of the drugs out of the story you told him."That is the thing, I do not know." You said back. "It looks like he isn't a member of the Syndicate, just a criminal, maybe he doesn't even know about the drug trade.""I could have him hauled into the jail on a moment's notice." Normand said back to you. "He stole your property, Alteraci property. Made you lose a whole lot of coin. And to think I trusted that man and his head of numbers. Damn he was good with those numbers as well."2/3
>>5738802Normand shook his head in disappointment."Syndicate or not, his crimes by the old books of law are the most severe there can be. The sentence is death by hanging or by an executioner's blade." Normand told you and continued. "Stealing the state property is a serious crime and I don’t think throwing him into the prison camp is the right choice.""Normand, I know that. I can't always be lenient." You said back to him."But you don't know if you should sentence a man to his death like that." Normand said back. "Look Alric, the law needs to be followed and a message needs to be sent. The man should hang."Normand stood up from the chair he had been sitting on and went for your bookshelf and took out a book from there."The Book of Common Law." Normand said and held the thick book. "Do I need to read the passage for you?""You don't need to do that, I have read that book twice." You said back and stood up as well."Then you have something else in your mind… don't tell me it has something to do with that warlock and his teacher." Normand said and gave you the look you had seen many times before. The one where he asks you to tell him the truth.You had thought about it a bit during the journey back home. Davis was a skilled foreman and he had kept things mostly under control before the arrival of the Stonemasons. Since then his workload had dropped considerably and losing him wouldn't hurt you much at all. But you could still use him to help Eligius in his work as your spymaster and you didn’t think that he would refuse if alternative was death. Davis most likely had connections amongst other criminals like him which means said circle of criminals could end up willingly or unwillingly working for you as smugglers and messengers. He could alternatively act as the middleman between your spies and informants and Eligius, giving him one more layer of defence.But his crimes were against you and Alterac. Embezzling state owned property and taking the coin for himself was a crime of the most serious kind. It would be very easy to argue that he was a traitor working against you and the goods he had embezzled and coin he had taken were away from your military. That would be an instant death penalty, no trial would even need to be had.>Eligius needs more underlings and a criminal like Davis could be an important asset for him.>He will be arrested after Eligius and Nalice return. You want him thoroughly interrogated before a decision is made of his fate.>Follow Normand's advice, follow the book of law and sentence him to death for his crimes.>Other, write in.QM: Rolls was to see the reaction of your officers. It was a jubilant one.
>>5738804Have a trial. The justice must be served and we don't need to become syndicate 2.0.That said there should be provisions for sparing from execution if the criminal is ready to sell out his buddies and made to pay compensation and penance. Human life is not cheap.
>>5738804>Follow Normand's advice, follow the book of law and sentence him to death for his crimes.
>>5738804>He will be arrested after Eligius and Nalice return. You want him thoroughly interrogated before a decision is made of his fate.Has he outlived his usefulness? That is my primary concern. After that have a public trial where we bring out the receipts that prove treason and therefore a death sentence. There should be no leniency for betraying us.
>>5738804>He will be arrested after Eligius and Nalice return. You want him thoroughly interrogated before a decision is made of his fate.
>>5738804>>5738821Now that I've returned I want to expand on my preferred course of action: Us sparing Davis was predicated on him serving as bait to potential infiltrators. If he no longer serves that purpose or has become more trouble than it's worth THEN we arrest, interrogate, expose and execute. I'd personally never accept a traitor as an agent.
>>5738804>>He will be arrested after Eligius and Nalice return. You want him thoroughly interrogated before a decision is made of his fate.
>>5738804>He will be arrested after Eligius and Nalice return. You want him thoroughly interrogated before a decision is made of his fate.>Write in>After that have a trial and follow the book of lawIf we don't need him anymore, interrogate him. But, no visible or mental damage.Normand can understand we need informations, and we can have the trial after gaining them. Our war against the Syndicate makes intel too important, and we know how the Syndicate fund it self.We will then follow the book of law and give a sentence for all his crimes which are multiple.- Stealing Alterac property- Being a criminal and partecipating/supporting criminal activities, thus ensuring they can further grow/survive- Even if he doesn't know, by partecipating/supporting criminal activities he likely aided the Syndicate it self (which uses the criminal underworld has a way for fund it self).
"Eligius is still tying the loose ends and finishing his investigation in Southshore. When he comes back here, we will arrest Davis and interrogate him regarding his activities and what he knows about the drug trade." You said to Normand and continued. "The Syndicate needs money so it doesn't surprise me at all that they are involved in a drug business. Even if Davis isn't part of the trade, whatever he knows about his set of criminals and movement of stolen goods should be investigated."You walked to Normand and took the Book of Common Law from him and continued."When he has nothing else to say or tell us, then he will get his trial. And we will go through all of his crimes one by one and at the end of the day he will hang, unless he can give us a really damn good reason to not do so." You said and put the book back on the bookshelf."You are right Alric, we need the information." Normand said to you. "Perhaps my idea was too hasty.""It wasn't hasty." You immediately said back to him and put down the glass of wine you had. "It is just that… I need to be sure if I order someone to die… it is hard to explain.""Then try."You paced the room a bit, scratching your chin as you thought how to answer."In a battle it is either you or me, or if I command my men to attack, I know that the enemy can resist. I don't want to use the word chivalrous or knightly or whatever, it just doesn't sit well with me." You told him."I understand… but justice has to be served." Normand said back."Then let's us do it by the book." You said."Anything else you have in mind?" Normand asked."Well ehh… there is something you and Maura need to know…"…You had asked Malevus to go fetch Tari and Maura to join you and Normand in your study. You had also asked one servant to prepare a bath for you. After all this was done and finished, you really wanted to relax and proverbial wash Southshore off you.Tari was more than nervous, the poor girl was nearly shaking until you took hold of her hand and managed to calm her down. This didn't go unnoticed by Normand, Maura and Malevus who you thought should also know the truth."Alric, what is this about this time?" Normand asked as he crossed his arms. He had become immediately suspicious when you had asked everyone to come to your room. It had been just a few weeks since the last time you did it."Well…ummm…" You started to mumble as words became a foreign thing to you. By the Light why could you deliver a speech in Southshore to Garithos and everyone else, but you struggled this much to tell your parents that Tari was pregnant."I am pregnant." Tari blurted out suddenly."You what!" Normand shouted in a complete surprise and went for the chair he had been sitting on previously.Tari and you were surprised by his reaction as was Maura."Alric, you told me…" Normand continued after having sat down."It is Blackmoore’s." Tari continued. "From before Alric got me out of Durnholde."1/3
>>5739670"Normand… the poor girl is scared stiff." Maura said and went for another assuring hug. "Taretha, don't be scared.""Sorry… I just thought that I would become a grandfather…" Normand said to no one particularly.Grandfather? The implication that he looked at you like you were his son warmed your heart, but it did also remind you that Normand and Maura didn't have their own children and you hadn’t ever really asked why?"I have already decided that Tari and the child are welcomed here in our household." You said to them."Of course, both you and the child belong here." Maura said and released her hold on Tari who was taking this awfully well."I am sorry, but how can you be so sure?" Normand asked Taretha."I can tell you." She said.…All five of you had sat down as Tari told Maura, Normand and Malevus basically the same things she had told you in Southshore. The signs were there and she was most likely pregnant. When Tari got to her previous pregnancy, Maura was shocked and Normand had to hold her hand this time."Barbarous, having a child is a blessing from the Light." Maura said. This surprised you, she never really had been a religious person. "Just being ordered to drink such a vile potion.""No such potions will be allowed in this household." Normand said to his wife and to you."Thank you… I feel so blessed to have met Alric and seeing that he has such good parents." Tari said and wiped away a tear."We have done a good job trying to set him straight." Maura said back."But soon the rumours will spread and when… well… the bump is visible then everyone will know." You succeeded in saying."You are right, everyone will think that the child is yours." Normand said and continued musing. "Even if you and Taretha don't outwardly look like a couple or stay away from each other, the rumours will exist and they will see her pregnancy as the proof.""Sounds like I can't run away from them." You sighed. "Tari and the child will stay here.""Of course, of course." Normand said. "I need to think.""I don't need to." Maura said adamantly. "Normand, didn't we always want our own children, but never got them till Alric and the exile? Didn't we then talk about how one day Alric is going to have his own children that we will take care of like they are our own grandchildren.""We did… Maura, where are you going with this?" Normand asked her."You aren't married and won't be married so the child can't be legitimised, I know that. But the child deserves the best possible future, it is innocent to all of this or to whom its real father is." Maura said."Are you saying that we should have the child as my bastard?" You asked her.2/3
>>5739672"Like Normand said, everyone is already going to believe that it is yours." Maura said to you.There was a pause in the room, a silence as everyone tried to process the situation."I think that would be lovely." Malevus said suddenly and continued. "Garsides get their grandchild and the child gets to grow in a loving home with its parents and grandparents.""And aunts and uncles." Tari said and smiled.Was this being decided for you? Not that you disagreed, but you could see Normand being concerned."Normand, what are you thinking?" You asked him."Lady Calia… what she will think and how this will affect the children you are going to have with her." Normand said to you."Calia will understand and aren't you going a bit too far there?" You asked. "Alric, you need a heir sooner than later and this child can't be it. It can't be legitimised, it cannot be a Perenolde. Bastard's life will be its fate. But a bastard could cause issues, even if they are the last to inherit." Normand said to you. "Proclaiming the child as Blackmoore’s wouldn't be fair either.""And that option is off the table. Tari and the child deserve to stay away from him." You said back sternly."Then we have the following options. You don't acknowledge the child and Taretha goes back to live with her parents. We will then give her an allowance that should be enough. That might curb some of the rumours, but not all unless you and Taretha stay away from each other." Normand said and continued. "You don't acknowledge the child as your own, but Taretha can stay here and be with us. Everyone will think the child is yours, even if you say it isn't, but sorry to say it like this, but it will have a better future than with your parents.""None taken." Tari responded."And finally what Maura suggested. The child will be your bastard and we will get our grandchild." Normand said and stopped. It was clearly difficult for him as well to go through all this.What a mess of rumours and what others would think. Avoiding them would be difficult and the idea of you and Tari staying away from each other didn’t feel right, but that and not acknowledging the child could avoid problems in the future when you and Calia would have your own children. Maybe it was just simplest and for the best to take the child as your own, damn the rumourmongers.>Let Taretha choose, she is the mother after all.>The child will stay with Taretha's parents, you don't acknowledge it, but you will pay a small allowance to them.>The child won't be acknowledged by you, but Taretha can come and go as she pleases in your home and stay here as your servant.>Acknowledge the child as your bastard. Give the child the best possible future and Garsides the grandchild they have wanted.QM: Needless to say that this is an important vote.
>>5739677Either this>The child won't be acknowledged by you, but Taretha can come and go as she pleases in your home and stay here as your servant.Or>The child will stay with Taretha's parents, you don't acknowledge it, but you will pay a small allowance to them.Do not acknowledge the child under any circumstances.
>>5739677Can we take time to write a letter Calia and get her advice?
>>5739677>>The child won't be acknowledged by you, but Taretha can come and go as she pleases in your home and stay here as your servant.
>>5739677>The child won't be acknowledged by you, but Taretha can come and go as she pleases in your home and stay here as your servant.Or Taretha can take it to her parents if she wants, but at the end of the day it will be our servant's and friend's child and that's it. Claiming it as ours would be such a silly thing to do.We can deal with rumours, especially when we can simply tell the truth with straight face to those who would care for it.
>>5739677>The child won't be acknowledged by you, but Taretha can come and go as she pleases in your home and stay here as your servant.And I'd be willing to be a father figure in the kids life. The child is innocent in all this and I'd want them to lead the best life possible but there is no reason to lie and claim he is ours.
>>5739677>The child won't be acknowledged by you, but Taretha can come and go as she pleases in your home and stay here as your servant.
>>5739677>Acknowledge the child as your bastard. Give the child the best possible future and Garsides the grandchild they have wanted.;^)
You pinched the bridge of your nose and thought about the situation. You couldn’t acknowledge the child, no way you could do that and risk issues in the future regarding inheritance and having heirs. You had to think about this like a Prince with a kingdom and responsibilities towards it."I can't acknowledge the child, it is too risky." You said to Tari and others. "There will be rumours, but I am more concerned about the future. Having a bastard who isn't even my blood could lead into claims if the truth ever got out."Malevus and Maura seemed not to be disappointed, but there was a hint of sadness in them."Tari, you are and will be welcomed in our home. I can be a father figure to the child when it grows up and I can bet Maura would be willing to help you. We will do whatever is needed to ensure that the child has the best possible upbringing." You said to her and continued. "This is the best solution for all of us.""Grandchildren or not, you and the child will be taken care of." Normand continued. "Thank you, thank you so much." Tari said and wept away another tear. "I have come here and placed unreasonable requests in your hands, but yet you still help me.""Because it is the right thing to do." You said back to her.You stood up and waited as others did the same. It wouldn't be easy to navigate through the rumours, but those who believe you won't pay that much heed to the rumours in the first place."Maura can you…" You started to say, but she understood your intent immediately."Come on dear." Maura said to Tari and lended her hand. "Let's go for some tea."Malevus followed right behind them, leaving you with Normand and when the door closed, he turned to face you."You made the right decision even though it wouldn't have been that bad to become a 'grandfather'. Either way, the child will have a good home here." Normand said to you and continued. "Just promise me one thing.""What is it?""Just don't bring more girls here like you did with Taretha and with news like that. I don't think my heart can handle all of this again." Normand said and chuckled."Hah, no promises." You chuckled back. "Don't you listen to the rumours, there is a woman waiting for me in every town and city."Two of you had a tired laugh. Oh dear if that was true, Normand would probably combust out of pure stress if that was the case.…You had lowered yourself deep into the hot water of the bathtub as you let the water soothe your body. Barely keeping your nose above it, you didn’t feel any itch or pain where the hot wax had splattered on you. Those burns had healed, but there were still the scars that would fade away in time.What a few days it has been. It has started to feel like every time you visit somewhere else, things go against you or there are some other machinations that try to stop you or force you to deal with them.1/2
>>5740226You lifted yourself enough up from the water to take a gulp directly from the wine bottle that you and Normand had started. Oh dear it felt good. Eligius and Nalice would be returning in a day or two so you would have a couple days off from the magic training. There was still the homework, but you could relax marginally. But there was going to be other work you needed to supervise and as you slipped back deeper into the hot water, you knew you didn't have to think about them till tomorrow.Now you are just going to relax.…Hot bath and wine wasn't the greatest combination. You felt dehydrated and there was a throbbing feeling in your head from the hangover you had. You had finished the wine and then immediately went and fell asleep forgetting to drink enough water before it.And now you were paying for your blunder. You weren't in a shape to write any letters, not right now and so after having sparred with Malevus, beating her soundly yet again even in your weakened state, and forcing yourself to eat a slight breakfast, you ventured towards the other tasks at hand. Maybe after a nice good morning being busy you would have cleared your head?Pai the assassin hadn't talked, Eligius hadn't been able to get her to speak and while Sahvan had already told everything he knew to you and Eligius, the more important information was still in Pai's head. You also heard that Krix Wiklish had finished his secret project or at least had it in a shape in which it could be presented to you.And maybe more annoyingly there had been a scuffle between the bandits and the Syndicate soldiers in the prison camp. No one had been seriously wounded, just bruises and hurt egos, and Chief of the Guards Stein had thrown the worst offenders into the oubliette to cool down for a day or two. Maybe you should look into this more closely, maybe talk with someone who owes you a lot?Choose one:>Go talk with Sahvan and then with Pai, see if you can get her to talk while Eligius is away.>Krix Wiklish has finished his project. Go see where the coin you had given to him had gone.>The scuffle in the prison camp is a symptom of something bigger. Go see Chief Stein and drag Otto Wanz, the Syndicate warlock whose life you saved, for a questioning. See what he has to say about all this.>Other, write in.QM: I am bit surprised, going all Ned Stark with the child had some support while you were still in Southshore and now it had basically disappeared outside of one cheeky vote.
>>5740230>The scuffle in the prison camp is a symptom of something bigger. Go see Chief Stein and drag Otto Wanz, the Syndicate warlock whose life you saved, for a questioning. See what he has to say about all this.
>>5740230>The scuffle in the prison camp is a symptom of something bigger. Go see Chief Stein and drag Otto Wanz, the Syndicate warlock whose life you saved, for a questioning. See what he has to say about all this.Anons come and go, and just like for Alric, there was some time to do some in-depth thinking about the choice and not just swing it by the emotion of the moment.
>>5740230>>The scuffle in the prison camp is a symptom of something bigger. Go see Chief Stein and drag Otto Wanz, the Syndicate warlock whose life you saved, for a questioning. See what he has to say about all this.
>>5740230>The scuffle in the prison camp is a symptom of something bigger. Go see Chief Stein and drag Otto Wanz, the Syndicate warlock whose life you saved, for a questioning. See what he has to say about all this.Have the Socials and Stats pastebin been updated btw?
>>5740230>>The scuffle in the prison camp is a symptom of something bigger. Go see Chief Stein and drag Otto Wanz, the Syndicate warlock whose life you saved, for a questioning. See what he has to say about all this.Better do something about this before it becomes a problem
>>5740371It is now. Nothing super major, just a bunch of small edits and the events of Southshore updated there. Still always worth scrolling through.
>>5740230>The scuffle in the prison camp is a symptom of something bigger. Go see Chief Stein and drag Otto Wanz, the Syndicate warlock whose life you saved, for a questioning. See what he has to say about all this.There seem to be a lot of planfags and powergamers. Kinda disappointing that we are playing Alric this way but whatever, democracy.
"The hard labour has worked Sire." Chief of City Guard Stein told you after you had sat down in his office. "Things calmed down after the trouble starters were made into an example.""That is good to hear, but seems like not all tension is gone." You said back to him.The City Guard had taken a small log house with two rooms to be their office. It wasn't a fancy solution, but a solution that worked for now as Stein had chosen to not move into the barracks to keep the City Guard separate from the actual soldiers. It was a smart solution to be honest, the City Guard might end up in a situation where they have to arrest or deal with the soldiers and unnecessary fraternisation could make that a bit more difficult."No, sadly not." Stein sighed and continued. "The instigators of the previous scuffles had learned their lessons at least for now, but the main issue we have found out what has caused most of this is rather simple, the bandits think that the Syndicate is at fault that they are now in prisoners and half of their mates were killed by our soldiers.""Well they are completely right about that." You said back."The latest scuffle was between bandits and a couple of Syndicate soldiers they cornered. Thankfully we got our guards there quickly to pull them off before anyone died." Stein explained to you."Do you have any solutions to this in mind?" You asked back."Sire, keeping them separate would be the easiest, but that doesn't remove the problem." Stein suggested. "Work keeps them occupied, but they need something else."There was a knock on the door and one of the guards opened it. They had brought the man you had asked to be brought here to Stein's chagrin."Prince Perenolde." Otto Wanz greeted you and gave you a deep bow.The warlock was still wearing the same clothes, minus the leathers and the helmet, as he had been when you captured him. He just had an old brown robe thrown over them and the shackles that kept him from running away. An iron collar around his throat was connected to shackles between his legs and wrists. In addition to preventing him from moving his hands, they were put through a wooden plank with two holes in it. The warlock was given a bench to sit on and as he shuffled there, the irons made constant noise."Precaution." Stein said to you.You had been told that due to the Syndicate soldiers knowing that Wanz was a warlock, it was better to shackle him up to prevent them from getting ideas of using him to escape. While you weren't sure that the irons helped to actually prevent him from casting magic, it seemed to successfully send a message to others to not even try anything."You dragged me here for what?" Wanz asked you."I would like to hear from you about the scuffle and the tension between the bandits and the Syndicates." You said back to him.1/2
>>5741235"The bandits don't like us because we recruited them on swordpoint or by promising gold. In the end you came and got half of them killed." Wanz said to you. "Their resentment towards us is the reason why there has been those scuffles and fights."That was what Chief Stein had told you."Do you know a solution to this issue?" You asked him."Keep them away from us and vice versa." Wanz said. Again same thing what Chief Stein had told you. "Prince Perenolde, you had me brought here because you think that I am willing to help you after I spoke and revealed all those details to you, correct?""And because you are a member of the Syndicate. You know how you and they think better than I do." You answered."Then I don't see a reason to speak further. What do I gain from this other than the ire of my compatriots that hate you? I bet that the bandits don't appreciate me talking to officials either." Wanz said to you and continued. "Look, I prefer to be left alone and no one bothers me. Now you are bothering me which is going to make others bother me as well.""What do you want then?" You asked back."To leave me be, send me back to the camp." Wanz said back to you.Well, he wasn't exactly in a position to bargain with you. He was a warlock and you could find a very simple reason to send him away to Silver Hand to deal with. You were sure that they would love to have him around to get information from. But if you were to play this by his rules, maybe you could offer him something that he would appreciate which would at the same time be worth the ire of his compatriots and bandits. Maybe you could offer him something that his Syndicate comrades would appreciate as well?>Threaten to send him to the Silver Hand if he chooses not to speak. Remind him that he is especially alive because of you and continuing to speak keeps him alive.>Offer him a good bath, fresh clothes and a full meal. Make one evening worth the ire he would receive.>Ask him to become a messenger between you and the prisoners. Recruit him to become your man inside the prison camp. Make him useful for the prisoners this way.>Order Stein to remove the irons and the shackles as a sign of trust. You are fairly sure from what you have learned from Eligius that they do nothing.>Ask what he truly wants, leaving him be is just a smokescreen. And then arrange it.>Leave him be, you aren't going to bargain with a Syndicate warlock. >Other, write in.
>>5741237>Order Stein to remove the irons and the shackles as a sign of trust. You are fairly sure from what you have learned from Eligius that they do nothing.>Ask him to become a messenger between you and the prisoners. Recruit him to become your man inside the prison camp. Make him useful for the prisoners this way.
>>5741237>>Ask him to become a messenger between you and the prisoners. Recruit him to become your man inside the prison camp. Make him useful for the prisoners this way.>>Order Stein to remove the irons and the shackles as a sign of trust. You are fairly sure from what you have learned from Eligius that they do nothing.>>Ask what he truly wants, leaving him be is just a smokescreen. And then arrange it.Hey Medivh, when is Jandice going to come to visit us?>>5740672Anons like to play it safe and in the middle. I can't fault them for doing it even if it can feel a bit dull from time to time.
>>5741318In a couple of weeks most likely, before the spring arrives probably.
>>5741237remove the superfluous bindings, warn the chief they aren't effective in the first place. Of course things would go very poorly for Wanz if he tried something anyway.With that said, ask what he truly wants. Him being here to begin with may be poorly taken by the prisoners regardless of whether he cooperates or not, so he might as well share what he knows that could help us set the prisoners on a better path.After all, stewing and rotting in regret and resentment is one way of living, but instead we can all strive for something better...
>>5741237>Ask him to become a messenger between you and the prisoners. Recruit him to become your man inside the prison camp. Make him useful for the prisoners this way.>Order Stein to remove the irons and the shackles as a sign of trust. You are fairly sure from what you have learned from Eligius that they do nothing.>Ask what he truly wants, leaving him be is just a smokescreen. What does he have to lose?Mostly for curiosiry, partly for understanding his motivations. Don't just give it to him before even knowing what it is though.
"Chief Stein, can you remove his shackles?" You said to him."P-pardon?" He asked as he didn't believe what you were ordering him to do."Can you remove his shackles or do you have to go fetch the keys from somewhere else?" You asked him back. "I am fairly sure that they do nothing to actually stop him from casting magic."You turned to face Wanz."Am I right?"The warlock at first didn’t react, but then he laughed."Prince Perenolde, and I thought that I could be left alone if I were to stay in the irons and shackles. Seems like that is not to be." Otto Wanz said back. Your hunch and what you had learned was right.Chief Stein looked at the two of you before taking out a bundle of keys and one by one unlocking the three locks that kept everything together. The shackles and irons fell on the floor and finally Stein removed the plank keeping the hands apart from each other."Though it feels much better to be like this." Wanz said and rubbed his wrists. "Then what next? Now they are definitely not going to leave me alone.""I want you to be my messenger, link between me and the prisoners. Make it known that talking to you, the message will end up reaching me sooner than later." You said and shifted in your chair. "When they realise that you are useful to them, your value goes up in their eyes.""Why wouldn't you hire one of them instead?" He asked you while Stein was bewildered."Because like you said, they hate me." You said back. "So how is it?"Otto Wanz continued to rub his wrists and neck where the irons had been on and didn't say anything back to you. He clearly was conflicted on what to answer so you made the decision easier for him."Stein, could you leave us?" You asked him.This time your Chief of City Guard just gave you a polite nod and left the room."What do you truly want? I know your want to be left alone is just a ploy because there must be something an inquisitive man like you would want to see or know." You said to him, trying to use his past as a student of magic to your advantage. "So how is it? What do you want?"Wanz looked at you and placed his arms on his lap before sighing deeply.1/2
>>5742401"Prince Perenolde, ever since your attack into the camp I have been wondering about two things. First, why did you leave me alive? At first I thought that just because I talked and that you are a lenient if not a soft man incapable of executing me." Otto Wanz told you and continued. "But then I realised that the mage in your service that spotted me wasn't just a mage, but a warlock."What did he want to know about Eligius? What was his motive in trying to get information about him?"Then I thought, why would you have a warlock in your service? Was he the reason why you kept me alive? That I want to know and I would like to talk with him as well." He said."That is all?" You asked back nonchalantly."I can be your messenger and tell you about the prisoners either way, but if you tell me why you truly kept me alive and I get to meet your warlock, then I will tell you everything I know." Otto Wanz said and nodded.>Accept his offer to be your messenger and tell you about the prisoners, but nothing about Eligius.>All above and tell him that the reason he is alive is simple. He spoke and you kept your word.>All above and tell him that you don't believe that Eligius is a bad man and he owes his life to you. You saved him after all from bandits.>All above and allow him to meet with Eligius at some point.>Other, write in
>>5742402>>All above and allow him to meet with Eligius at some point.Risky business guys.
>>5742402>All above and tell him that the reason he is alive is simple. He spoke and you kept your word.
>>5742402He's alive because he talked and we are man of our word. And nature of one's arts, as questionable as it is, is not the sole determinant of one's character.We can let Eligius see him and get his measure, but we don't need another warlock on retainer, especially if his only motivation is his ambition. So better not give him false hopes or unwanted ideas.
>>5742402>All above and allow him to meet with Eligius at some point.
>>5742402He's alive because he talked and you are man of your word. And you have learned that such arts do not necessarily condemn one's character.He will also learn soon enough and with more certainty that our mercy is not to be mistaken for weakness. Keep an ear open for that.As for Eligius, unless we are given good reason to deny it, he will have his meeting.
Looks like basically everything, with a bit less on Eligius. The two of them can talk about things when they meet.So unrelated to this, can I have a simple roll.>1d10>Best of three, taking the second roll
Rolled 10 (1d10)>>5742993
Rolled 9 (1d10)>>5742993
Rolled 10 (1d10)>>5742993rolling for completion>>5742996based
I think Eligius is learning how to do this cloak and dagger stuff rather well, those are some good rolls.But I am too tired to finish the update today. Trying to get it out tomorrow as fast as possible.But before that, a small question. How many people are you expecting to come from Underbelly and what kind of mages/sorcerers would you like to see to join you?
>>5743294I don't know how many are coming, too many unknown variables. As for mages? Loyal ones.I also remembered an idea I keep forgetting to mention: perhaps Calia could use the recent tensions to justify a diplomatic tour? It's a pretty good excuse I think.
>>5743294>likeClever hopefuls that want to establish a competing academy with Swiss cheese and beer>expectDesperate washouts with discipline problems and subpar talent
"Because I am a man of my word. You spoke and saved your life and I intend to keep you alive for that." You told him. "The reason can be that simple, not always there has to be a complex reason.""That simple?" Wanz asked, he seemed to have expected a bit more complex answer."That simple. What I have learned is that not always the arts one follows or what their pre-existing reputation is, is not the sole determinant of one's character." You said back and Wanz realised that you were talking about Eligius. "And remember, I can change my mind if I see one's character changing."Otto Wanz listened to you speak and digested your words carefully before nodding. He was still alive by your grace and if he was to attempt something, you wouldn't be as lenient as before."So don't break the trust I have placed in you. You have behaved and I am willing to allow you to meet him, if that is what he wants to happen. And in return you are going to do as I tell you." You told Wanz."I understand… I guess that makes me a turncoat…" Wanz mused aloud.Hopefully one of the many to follow."Good, now tell me about the prisoners." You said to him.…There are 100 prisoners in your camp of which ten are prisoners from Southshore that were sent here by the late Magistrate Maleb and remaining being a mix of bandits and Syndicates. The bandits, 67 in total, fall into three groups. Half of them don't want to be part of any of this and avoid causing problems and the remaining half is split between those who hate you and the Syndicate and those who just hate the Syndicate.Meanwhile there are 23 members of the Syndicate, Wanz included, who generally disliked you greatly and see themselves superior compared to the bandits. About half of them though are glad to be alive, they thought that you would have put them to the sword."The hard work keeps them occupied." Wanz said to you and Stein whom you had asked to return back into his office. "But as long as both the bandits and us are in the same camp, tensions are going to stay high. Unless you give them something else to be occupied with.""And what would that be?" Stein asked Wanz. He clearly wasn't as sure if he was to trust what Wanz was telling you."That I do not know, they just need a goal to work towards." Wanz told him."When you are returned back to the camp, make it known to the others that you are now my messenger. Listen to their worries and what they want and we might be able to find a more lasting solution to this." You said to Wanz and continued. "Now, is that all you have to say?""I have nothing else to say, other than how will I contact you?" Wanz asked."Tell one of the guards that you want to speak with me. We will handle the rest." Stein answered.1/3
>>5744151"Good, and don't waste my time. I want these problems to go away and stay away." You said."I won't, Prince Perenolde." Wanz said and gave you a deep nod.…"Prince Alric, if I may say I don't trust the man at all." Stein said to you after guards had taken Wanz out of the room."Noted, I do feel like he won't try to do anything. Call it a hunch." You said back. He wouldn't do anything before he had a chance to meet with Eligius. That you were sure about, maybe not even after it when he sees that Eligius is alive and well, especially as a warlock. Though the idea of having second warlock in Dawnholme unnerved you a bit, Wanz expertise might come handy in the future."Any idea what they might want? Or what the solution to all of this will be?" Stein asked you."They know about Sir Radan and Sergeant Benedict was a street thug." You said."Sire, are you planning on hiring or recruiting them?" Stein asked."Maybe, maybe not all of them and not yet. Sir Radan worked for me nearly for a year before I took him into my service." You said to Stein. "Though keep watch over the petty criminals from Southshore, their stay in the camp might be over soon.""Understood, I will inform you if or when I hear anything about Wanz." Stein said to you. "In the meanwhile we will throw those who fight and scuffle into the oubliette or give them harder labour as punishment.""Sounds good, carry on Chief Stein."…>10>9Remainder of the day was spent on writing letters, or well drafts of the said letters and doing paperwork that required your attention. And the next day started just as busy after the usual sparring with Malevus when more paperwork arrived at your desk that Normand couldn't do by himself.You didn't have a break until early afternoon when Eligius and Nalice returned from Southshore with a horse cart. When you heard about them arriving, you had Eligius come talk with you when he had the time. A some time later Eligius did as told and arrived to see you."Welcome back to Dawnholme, how did your return trip go?" You said and put the black noise device on the table."Very well Prince Alric." Eligius said back. His robes were still a bit snowy and getting wet as the snow melted. You waved him to remove it and place it near the brazier that kept your study warm. "What would you like to hear?""Everything." "We got 11 stones worth of Dream Dust with us and we already moved it into Nalice's house. We also managed to find the actual house our Syndicate friends were using and searched it thoroughly, we did the same with the partner of Davis." Eligius said to you."Did you find anything?""Not much, no papers or such. But we got the idea to make it look like the men took their clothes, valuables and left with the drugs." Eligius said and handed you a coin pouch. "This is how much coin we found in total."2/3
>>5744153You held the pouch in your hand and tested its weight, it was rather full and it would become quite handy come spring."And the bodies?""Lady Nalice took care of them." Eligius told you."Did you watch when she did her spells?""No, but they were gone and I couldn't find any remains." Eligius told you. "Lady Nalice asked me to go and search their home while she was busy with her magic."While not witnessing what Nalice did wasn’t optimal at all, if Eligius didn't spot anything, most likely no-one else will."Are you sure that usually weren't spotted?" You asked him. "We can't have any connection between us and them, and what are you going to do with the horse cart and the horses?""We weren't spotted and the horses will be made into sausages and the cart dismantled and burned." Eligius said and gave you an affirming nod. "Lady Nalice asked me to tell you that the lessons will continue today."No more rest and easy evenings for you. Back to the grind it seemed. Now though you were going to talk with Nalice about the events in Southshore at some point and you have to deal with Foreman Davis as well, but that might not be that urgent of a thing. And then you still had Krix Wiklish and Pai to deal with.Gained:>1 Wealth>Leave the arrest for later. Speaking with Lady Nalice about what she did in Southshore was the priority.>Arrange the arrest of Foreman Davis and search his house. Start the official investigation and judicial process with him.>You have a goblin mechanic in Krix Wiklish waiting for you so that he can show his invention to you.>Go see if Pai will talk to you and Eligius. What she knows could be very useful to you.QM: Going through things one by one. The earlier mystery rolls were for Eligius and Nalice as well.>>5744029>expectNow that is a very pragmatic sounding answer
>>5744154>>You have a goblin mechanic in Krix Wiklish waiting for you so that he can show his invention to you.Nothing is urgent, and I'm curious about what he managed to make
>>5744154>Go see if Pai will talk to you and Eligius. What she knows could be very useful to you.
>>5744154>You have a goblin mechanic in Krix Wiklish waiting for you so that he can show his invention to you.
>>5744154>>You have a goblin mechanic in Krix Wiklish waiting for you so that he can show his invention to you.
>>5744154>KrixLet's see some engineering!
You told Eligius about your talks with Normand regarding Foreman Davis. He agreed that arresting him would be the right move and that they easily had a couple of days to prepare and choose the right time and place to make the arrest happen."Unless he can give us a great reason why he shouldn't hang, based on his crimes that is rather likely what will happen." You told Eligius. "And due to that I want everything done by the book.""I understand." Eligius said back."Good, now though I have a goblin mechanic waiting for me." You said to him and stood up from behind your table."Mr. Wiklish has finished his secret project?""Yes he has and I have no idea what it could be." You said and continued. "Let's see if my investment has been a useful one."…The barn turned into his workshop looked inconspicuous from outside. There was just a simple wooden sign nailed next to the door with Krix Wiklish's name on it. Knocking on the door, you didn’t have to wait for long before it opened."Prince Perenolde, come in come in." Krix Wiklish said and stepped aside to allow you to get in. "I have heard that you have finished your project." You said to him."Yes, yes I have. It is a tremendous thing, a terrific thing." The goblin explained to you enthusiastically. "Come and see."On the other side of the small workshop on a table was a wooden box with several levers sticking out of it and a fan looking thing on one side with a handle on the other side. You really don't know what you were looking at."This box is your invention?" You asked and pointed at it."A working prototype, let me demonstrate how it works." Wiklish said as he used a ladder to climb on the human sized table and took out a much smaller wooden box with a similar fan and a handle on it from the shelf and passed it to you."Turn the handle and what do you see?" Wiklish said and you as told."The fan spins as I turn the handle around." You said back."That is correct, now open the small box." Wiklish said and you followed the order.1/2