Cerebral Paladin
First Post
The next day or two passed mostly quietly, as the group put the castle back into order, interred the count in the family crypt, and buried the priest in an unmarked grave outside the castle walls. Delbon and Alistair spent most of their time seducing the attractive servants and staff of the castle. Dame Brionna noticed Alistair's escapades with disapproval, but Kit reacted more strongly, first with an angry tongue-lashing and then by treating Alistair with extreme formality, coldness, and disdain. During the days, Alistair met with the leaders of the local community-- Goodwife Amelie, a prominent werebear, the local priest-midwives of Gunnora, and the village elders-- who were happy to accept Canberry's claims and Alistair's promise that the barony would be defended and run by knights in his service. The group also found and distributed a variety of useful items, including the Paranswarmian priest's magical leather vestments and dagger, which Kit claimed, his magic boar spear that Stithis took, a minor Libram of Intelligence, which Alistair claimed, and a spellbook of some power that was of no direct use to any in the group, but that they took for its resale value. They also found the castle's treasury of several hundred gold; each of the travellers took one hundred gold, and the remainder was left to ensure that the castle's new steward would have enough resources to help develop the Barony.
The group began planning its further trip south. Alistair wrote a message to the ambassador from Canberry to Enclaves, hoping to both ensure that the barony would be taken care of and to throw off pursuit.
To: The Earl Sheffield, Ambassador to the City of Enclaves from Her Sovereign Grace, the Grand Duchess of Canberry
Dear Uncle Richard,
I trust that this letter finds you well. I write to assure you that I am well, safe, and on my journey back home to Canberry.
We have been travelling south from Enclaves. Some 20 days ride out of Ecsilias, we encountered a small independent fiefdom that had fallen into the control of evil forces who had usurped control from the local noble. The people had no other recourse, so we defeated their oppressors and I claimed the castle and its environs, which I have renamed the Barony of Lyneham, in the name of my family.
I ask a boon of you, as my companions and I must continue on to Canberry. Please appoint a steward to rule the Barony on my behalf and dispatch the steward and a group of knights to assume control of the castle and to defend the Barony. You should understand in your choice that while it is very unlikely that I will elevate the steward to baronial dignity, there are many parts of the Barony that could be suitable for a new manor lord or lady, especially if my plans for Lyneham are carried out successfully. I would have no objection to one of your children or a similar close ally, but you should remember that the previous lord of Lyneham was murdered, along with his only son. These lands are too rough and far from civilization for a steward who is not capable. I will leave written instructions for the steward in the castle. You should also of course arrange for a priest of Glordiadel for the Barony as the faith inevitably follows the banner of Canberry, although the other good faiths of the people of the Barony are to be shown the strictest and most accepting tolerance, and if the Paranswarmians realize that the Barony was once theirs even one of their priests should be suffered.
We will wait for you to receive this letter and then head south to Forktown. From Forktown, we intend to travel east along the barrier mountains, rather than through the paths, before cutting directly south to Canberry. Passing over the mountains outside one of the three passes will be difficult, but it will be an exciting enough trip to justify it and should keep us well away from anyone who might be looking for us.
To bring the brighter light etc. Alistair of Canberry
[signed and sealed]
After finishing the letter and carefully putting his signet ring back into the tiny lead coffer that would conceal it from scrying, Alistair sent the letter on to Enclaves via a courier. Based on prior experiences, the information would surely leak into the hands of their enemies eventually, but with luck the description of the planned journey would send the assassins in entirely the wrong direction as they sought to sneak through the City of the Pass.
Alistair also wrote out instructions to his future steward. He planned to expand the wealth of the barony by taking advantage of its position on a major trade route and offering services and security to the caravans passing through. By suppressing banditry through ever wider patrols, Lyneham could justify charging tolls that would quickly make back the costs. Ultimately, Forktown should be persuaded, peacefully, to accept rulership by the barony and the barony should stretch from Forktown to the border of Ecsilias.
End of Session 2
The group began planning its further trip south. Alistair wrote a message to the ambassador from Canberry to Enclaves, hoping to both ensure that the barony would be taken care of and to throw off pursuit.
To: The Earl Sheffield, Ambassador to the City of Enclaves from Her Sovereign Grace, the Grand Duchess of Canberry
Dear Uncle Richard,
I trust that this letter finds you well. I write to assure you that I am well, safe, and on my journey back home to Canberry.
We have been travelling south from Enclaves. Some 20 days ride out of Ecsilias, we encountered a small independent fiefdom that had fallen into the control of evil forces who had usurped control from the local noble. The people had no other recourse, so we defeated their oppressors and I claimed the castle and its environs, which I have renamed the Barony of Lyneham, in the name of my family.
I ask a boon of you, as my companions and I must continue on to Canberry. Please appoint a steward to rule the Barony on my behalf and dispatch the steward and a group of knights to assume control of the castle and to defend the Barony. You should understand in your choice that while it is very unlikely that I will elevate the steward to baronial dignity, there are many parts of the Barony that could be suitable for a new manor lord or lady, especially if my plans for Lyneham are carried out successfully. I would have no objection to one of your children or a similar close ally, but you should remember that the previous lord of Lyneham was murdered, along with his only son. These lands are too rough and far from civilization for a steward who is not capable. I will leave written instructions for the steward in the castle. You should also of course arrange for a priest of Glordiadel for the Barony as the faith inevitably follows the banner of Canberry, although the other good faiths of the people of the Barony are to be shown the strictest and most accepting tolerance, and if the Paranswarmians realize that the Barony was once theirs even one of their priests should be suffered.
We will wait for you to receive this letter and then head south to Forktown. From Forktown, we intend to travel east along the barrier mountains, rather than through the paths, before cutting directly south to Canberry. Passing over the mountains outside one of the three passes will be difficult, but it will be an exciting enough trip to justify it and should keep us well away from anyone who might be looking for us.
To bring the brighter light etc. Alistair of Canberry
[signed and sealed]
After finishing the letter and carefully putting his signet ring back into the tiny lead coffer that would conceal it from scrying, Alistair sent the letter on to Enclaves via a courier. Based on prior experiences, the information would surely leak into the hands of their enemies eventually, but with luck the description of the planned journey would send the assassins in entirely the wrong direction as they sought to sneak through the City of the Pass.
Alistair also wrote out instructions to his future steward. He planned to expand the wealth of the barony by taking advantage of its position on a major trade route and offering services and security to the caravans passing through. By suppressing banditry through ever wider patrols, Lyneham could justify charging tolls that would quickly make back the costs. Ultimately, Forktown should be persuaded, peacefully, to accept rulership by the barony and the barony should stretch from Forktown to the border of Ecsilias.
End of Session 2