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Story Hour
Kingdom: Fear and Loathing in Emporopolis (Updated June 20, 2013)
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<blockquote data-quote="The Shadow" data-source="post: 6147786" data-attributes="member: 16760"><p>[Properly speaking there ought to be a scene by Kerdizo here, but darned if I can remember it at all. Pity. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" /> As far as I can recall, Kerdizo started organizing the merchants and other common folk in preparation for war and disaster. Next one<img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious :]" data-shortname=":]" /></p><p></p><p>Milos held court tremulously, supported by a cane. Where he had seemed ten years younger while leading the charge against the rebels, now he seemed at least twenty years older.</p><p></p><p>Fylakas watched him with pain in his eyes. I have destroyed many men, he thought to himself. But never before have I destroyed a good man by inches, and had to watch each faltering step of the way.</p><p></p><p>The hell of it was, it did not need to be this way! It would be so easy for Milos to simply go with the flow, to let the spell gently channel him down the path of least resistance! It was doing nothing more than strengthening his own natural inclinations, after all; the power of Secrets could do no more than that.</p><p></p><p>And yet Milos fought it, every moment, every day! He strove futilely to be the ruler he thought his people needed: Milos the Mighty. Occasionally that forceful man peered through Milos' eyes; but then the spell prevailed and he would lapse back into being Milos the Mild. The struggle was killing him.</p><p></p><p>"My people!" Milos croaked, "My dear people! It is with anguish in my heart that I have received this message from the Chrysian Empire! And yet is my dearest hope that, if we can find this felon, this Maldark, we may yet prevent outright war!" [A Prediction, naturally.]</p><p></p><p>With sudden forcefulness, he said, "We cannot, we will not, permit the Empire to dictate our actions! Were he not a criminal, we should never hand him over!" Then he faltered as the spell reasserted itself and turned a desperate glance to Fylakas, asking plaintively, "Right?"</p><p></p><p>His heart breaking, Fylakas said, "It is well said, my Lord." He knew the court had to be suspicious that Milos was leaning on him so openly, but he could not bring himself to care. He had never suspected Milos, not only of such determination, but of such essential goodness and selflessness.</p><p></p><p>When court ended, he made his way home, his face clouded with sorrow and doubt.</p><p></p><p>[Feel sorry for Milos, but not for SuentisPo. He took immense delight in, as he put it, "Twisting the knife!" <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />]</p><p></p><p>-------------------------------</p><p></p><p>[Side Effect time! If Maldark is not turned over to the Empire, Fylakas will suffer a crushing degree of guilt. Frankly, I more than half suspected the same "Side Effect" would occur if it went the other way too!]</p><p></p><p>-------------------------------</p><p></p><p>When Maldark arrived at their usual meeting-spot, Fylakas had hardened his face into a mask of business once more. "Have you found a suitable double to give the Imperials?" Maldark grimaced. "I fear not. I had one who seemed suitable, but his face was too badly burned during the, ah, acquisition." [I don't think I want to know...] "We are running out of time." "I know it well! Half my men are considering claiming the reward on my head! What do you suggest?!"</p><p></p><p>Fylakas said, face hard and cold, "A body-swap." Maldark sucked in his breath. "Truly? ... I have not the ability to pull off such a working alone." [Anything involving souls is Heap Big Magic in this setting. It's a really big deal.] "The boy and I will assist you."</p><p></p><p>Maldark rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Secrets... what is your angle in this?" "The opposition to the working will come from the innermost soul of the subject, his most secret self. With the rites of Shaprenka, we can suppress this opposition and ease the transfer. You can see something similar at work in the governor, I trust."</p><p></p><p>Maldark shook his head. "It is a dire extremity. I have spent years building up a reputation with this face, and to throw it all away!" Fylakas told him impatiently, "I can easily make you an item to keep your appearance secret and show the world a seeming of your old self, whenever you please."</p><p></p><p>The man looked impressed. "That would indeed be a boon. Yes, I think this can work. We must simply find a suitable victim." He pondered, and Fylakas knew he was considering which of his allies he could afford to betray and murder.</p><p></p><p>"Yes, I can find such a man. When shall we do the deed?" "The sooner, the better. I will prepare the working in my sanctum; it should be ready by tomorrow. Then bring me to the man; I can make him docile for our work." "Agreed."</p><p></p><p>-------------------------------</p><p></p><p>Kerdizo stalked into the Golden Goblet, weighed down by troubles and decision. Spotting Fylakas already seated there, he moved to join him. "So. What is your opinion of our psychotic, bipolar ruler?" [SuentisPo: "Yeah! Twist that knife! Twist it, I say!" <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />]</p><p></p><p>Fylakas hid his grimace behind a swallow of wine. "I rather assiduously strive not to have opinions about psychotic, bipolar rulers at all. They tend to take it badly."</p><p></p><p>Kerdizo snorted. "That they do. ... I have reached a decision, friend Fylakas." "Oh?" "Yes. I have decided that an invasion by the Empire would be bad for trade." [Attitude!]</p><p></p><p>Fylakas shrugged. "No doubt and it will, but what can you or I do about it?" Kerdizo replied matter-of-factly, "I intend to destroy the Empire's economy."</p><p></p><p>Fylakas stared at him. "Friend Kerdizo, are you feeling quite well? All this stress..." Kerdizo waved that off. "I'm quite serious. The Empire debased their currency during the civil war - the more fools they. And I am sitting upon a large stock of old, pure silver coins. Further, there is an old Imperial Mint here in the west, as you know - in which I have acquired an interest."</p><p></p><p>He continued, "I have trade factors throughout the Empire's territory. By manipulating their currency by the carefully-considered spreading of pure coin, I will be able to distort prices beyond their ability to cope. They will not recover for a decade, if that."</p><p></p><p>Fylakas' jaw dropped. He had raised the manipulation of a city to an art form; but the idea of manipulating an entire continent had been quite beyond his ambitions. When he could speak, he said quaveringly, "You... show unexpected depths, my friend. Is this truly practicable?"</p><p></p><p>"Not yet," Kerdizo admitted. "It will require a great deal of coin, more than I have yet amassed. But I am in the process of doing so." "Why are you telling me this?" "The Governor listens to you. We must delay war for as long as we can... and then we must inform the Empire through diplomatic channels. I should rather use the threat of economic destruction to prevent war, than to take vengeance for one already in progress."</p><p></p><p>Fylakas shook his head in amazement. "I will see what I can do, though I can promise nothing." "The attempt is all I ask. What man can promise more?"</p><p></p><p>---------------------------</p><p></p><p>[The Crisis level was starting to get really high, with all the threat of war. (Again, we'd misread the rules, so it probably shouldn't have been quite so high. But it all worked out fine regardless.) These next few scenes were played under the expectation war was coming.]</p><p></p><p>Milos received Fylakas and Mathitis in his audience chamber once more, looking worn and used-up. (Mathitis regularly accompanied Fylakas to court now, in case the spell should go awry.)</p><p></p><p>He said weakly, "Oh, my friend, my friend. I do not know what more I can do for my dear people." Fylakas took his hand. "You have done well, friend Milos. No man could ask more of you."</p><p></p><p>Milos rallied. "I ask more of myself! I would shed my blood a thousand times for Emporopolis!" Then he retreated into himself and said weakly, "I think? Does that sound right?"</p><p></p><p>Fylakas swallowed, and Mathitis watched with wide eyes. "I know that you would. I have... watched you struggle, for this city. You have done so with honor."</p><p></p><p>"Will... will they remember me, do you think? It will not all be for naught?" Fylakas promised, "If none else, I will remember you, my Lord. I swear it."</p><p></p><p>"Good... good. It is good to have a friend. Good Fylakas! I have always been able to rely on you." Fylakas swallowed again. "Yes, Milos. I also have seen you as a friend."</p><p></p><p>As Fylakas and Mathitis left the palace, Fylakas abruptly said earnestly, "Promise me something, my boy." Mathitis asked warily, "Master?"</p><p></p><p>"Promise me that you will be a better man than I have been. Promise that you will never betray anyone as I have betrayed Milos. It is ... wrong, what I have done. He deserved better of me..." [SuentisPo, laughing: "Huh! I see I'm not the only one who can twist a knife!"]</p><p></p><p>Mathitis gulped. Fylakas had not made it a command under the terms of his Vow, so he could promise freely... for now. "I, ah, of course, master." "Say it. Please." "I promise, master." "Good."</p><p></p><p>---------------------------</p><p></p><p>Fylakas' sanctum in the back of his shop was festooned with arcane implements, prepared for a working greater than any other he had ever attempted. Candles burned in strategically-chosen spots; incense and exotic herbs choked the air; wire of silver traced nameless patterns between walls, floor, and ceiling.</p><p></p><p>Maldark was here for the first time, suitably impressed by the preparations. With him was a young, muscular thief, a blissfully blank expression on his face; the power of Secrets kept him from being aware of his surroundings. They discussed the final details of the spell.</p><p></p><p>Fylakas explained, "It is simple enough, for all the power that it requires. You leave your body, then the boy and I enact the rites of Shaprenka to lower the vessel's resistance. You occupy him, and he will gravitate into your own former shell."</p><p></p><p>Maldark nodded. "Understood. And remember, I <em>must</em> be the one to kill the mark. Odd as that will be, killing a man wearing my own accustomed flesh! But if I do not betray a life to my Nameless Lady in such a working as this, She will betray me and take mine own." He shrugged. "That was the deal."</p><p></p><p>Fylakas nodded. "Yes. Now, the Rites of Shaprenka demand that my presence be ritually 'secret' to you, so I must stand behind you, like so. The boy will stand... here. Are you ready?"</p><p></p><p>Maldark sighed, and looked into the blank eyes that were soon to be his own. "Ready." He began to chant, slithering syllables that the ear rejected; the Nameless Lady of Betrayal and Murder was more alien than most of the Spirits. Swaying back and forth, he produced a dagger and placed it in the victim's right hand... then he went rigid as his spirit left its home.</p><p></p><p>Fylakas then calmly reached forward and slit his throat.</p><p></p><p>The magic in the air abruptly froze, and a silent scream shook the aether; then Maldark's lifeless body dropped, shedding surprisingly little blood.</p><p></p><p>Mathitis goggled, frozen with shock. "Yuh, you, but!" Fylakas sent him a knowing glance, then snapped his fingers in front of the erstwhile victim's face while handing him the bloody knife. "Good job, man! You've killed Maldark in self-defense! Now go, take him to the palace to receive your reward!" It was the flip of a coin whether that 'reward' would be money or a hangman's noose, but no matter.</p><p></p><p>The man was seriously confused at suddenly appearing in this strange place, but he understood the idea of 'reward' readily enough and soon obeyed.</p><p></p><p>Fylakas grinned mirthlessly at the still-incoherent Mathitis. "Well, my boy! Do you suppose that was betrayal and murder enough to satisfy the Nameless Lady? I must go and ensure an orderly transition of power for the Thieves' Guild. [Authority, natch.] You stay here and clean up the mess."</p><p></p><p>Mathitis stood there nervelessly and whispered, "Y-yes, master."</p><p></p><p>[My willingness to discard my pawn completely blindsided SuentisPo. (JoJoz twigged to it as soon as Fylakas said he had to stand behind Maldark, but didn't say anything.) What can I say, you gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />]</p><p></p><p>[From Fylakas' point of view, it was just too perfect: We'd be able to give the Empire Maldark's genuine body, even with traces of sorcery on it - and only his own flavor, at that. Maldark had become a liability, and as an added bonus, it enabled him to send a firm message to his apprentice. Something along the lines of, 'Stop that.' <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" />]</p><p></p><p>[It looked like the Crossroad was going to give me everything I wanted and nothing I didn't want. Perspective had assured us that outright war would not occur, so it seemed likely we'd get the Empire off our backs. Crisis was still high, but we could bleed it off if need be.]</p><p></p><p>[How wrong I was! Because SuentisPo still had a trick up his sleeve.]</p><p></p><p>----------------------</p><p></p><p>[Crossroad resolution! Emporopolis gave Maldark's body to the Empire, so we were spared outright war. The Thieves' Guild had an orderly transition of power. Fylakas did not suffer crushing guilt under the Side Effect.]</p><p></p><p>[Me: "Okay, my turn!" SuentisPo: "Hold on, we're not done with the Crossroad yet." "Huh?" "I'm changing Roles to Touchstone."]</p><p></p><p>[JoJoz and I both stared at him. "Wha?! How? WHY?" He grinned at us. "You'll see."]</p><p></p><p>The court buzzed with relief as Maldark's body was delivered on the very eve of war. Milos gave a triumphant yet strained speech. "My people! My dear people! We have found the villain Maldark, and this is good! And we will turn him over to the Empire as they have asked, and this also is good! ... And yet, and yet," here he faltered, "I fear I have bad news as well." Pausing to gather his strength against the spell, he said, "There are, more sorcerers, out there! Among us! Doing... terrible, terrible things!" And then he pitched forward, suffering a massive stroke.</p><p></p><p>[SuentisPo grinned at us, daring us to say that wasn't a high enough Price. Then, as a newly-minted Touchstone, he formalized that as an Attitude... and gave the Crisis level the last nudge it needed to overflow.]</p><p></p><p>[And all. Blazing. Hell. Broke loose.]</p><p></p><p>Fylakas rushed forward, kneeling by the rapidly-fading body of his friend. "Oh, Milos, forgive me! I am so sorry!" He continued kneeling there, weeping, oblivious to the hysteria that was breaking out in the court and beyond.</p><p></p><p>The city erupted in convulsions of paranoia. Long-simmering resentments against sorcerers, fanned by the recent rabble-rousing of Logite priests, burst into flame - literal as well as figurative. Spontaneous witchhunts broke out, and resentments between neighbors now overflowed into accusations and denunciations of practicing foul arts. Fires were set to purify the homes of the accused, and these often spread.</p><p></p><p>Milos died within days of his apoplexy.</p><p></p><p>Fylakas shielded himself and Mathitis from notice with the power of Secrets. Still stunned with shock and grief, he did manage to order the Thieves' Guild to come out of hiding and work openly with the Watch to help maintain order.</p><p></p><p>Kerdizo, having already had some success in organizing the populace, worked to stem the worst abuses and organize fire-fighting brigades. Many looked to him for guidance in the troubled weeks ahead.</p><p></p><p>[We voted on the survival of the Kingdom, and it came out 2-1 against. (Mine was the vote for.) So there came the aftermath<img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious :]" data-shortname=":]" /></p><p></p><p>When the Imperial fleet arrived in harbor, the people greeted them with open arms as saviors from corrupt nobles and foul sorcerers. [And thus there was no outright war, as had been Predicted.] The Logites received conversions in droves, and clamor arose for Emporopolis to re-accede to Imperial rule.</p><p></p><p>Thus it came about that Milos' dearest wish was granted shortly after his death; the city returned to the Empire's fold peacefully. And indeed, it was a very generous and honorable offer, granting the city a notable degree of autonomy. Rather more generous than the Empire was accustomed to granting, in fact...</p><p></p><p>Kerdizo did not yet have enough coin to destroy the Empire's economy, but he had enough to run a colossal bluff. On the strength of that deceit, he wrung concessions from His Imperial Majesty's representatives without mercy. When the dust settled, he had been appointed as the first Lord Mayor of the Imperial Free City of Emporopolis, with enough of a title patent to keep the local nobility from getting too restless. The only downside was that his sway now ran only over the city's immediate environs, rather than the whole province in which it had formerly resided. [Thus explaining the somewhat odd political structure 300 years down the road, with the capital of the province being a dinky little town compared to Emporopolis.]</p><p></p><p>[SuentisPo: "They'll insist you convert, you know." JoJoz: "Do they insist I actually believe it?" Me: "Nah. So long as you make a big show of converting, they won't care." JoJoz: "Kerdizo is like, 'Eh, fine, whatever.'" <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />]</p><p></p><p>[It happens, by the way, that in the FATE game 300 years later, JoJoz' character is a small-time con artist named Timios. We joked that if Timios could see what Kerdizo had done - running a con on the entire Empire! - he'd probably worship Kerdizo as a god. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />]</p><p></p><p>The new Lord Mayor gathered the now-outed members of the Guild of Thieves in a courtyard. "I thank you for your service to your city. You may continue to serve as members of my new City Watch and receive pardon for all your crimes prior to this date, or. ... I will leave the finishing of that sentence to your imagination."</p><p></p><p>Apparently the thieves had good imaginations; they all signed up.</p><p></p><p>[Which fits the fact that we know, 300 years later, that Emporopolis doesn't have a unified Thieves' Guild, but a fragmented underworld where different warlords struggle for control.]</p><p></p><p>[What happened to Fylakas and Mathitis? As it happens, I wrote up an Epilogue for them the night after the game, and that's in the next post! In the post after that, I'll give some of my thoughts and analysis about the game.]</p><p></p><p>[And let me just note one final irony: Since he was a Touchstone at the time, Milos did in fact die as a Man of the People. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" />]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="The Shadow, post: 6147786, member: 16760"] [Properly speaking there ought to be a scene by Kerdizo here, but darned if I can remember it at all. Pity. :( As far as I can recall, Kerdizo started organizing the merchants and other common folk in preparation for war and disaster. Next one:] Milos held court tremulously, supported by a cane. Where he had seemed ten years younger while leading the charge against the rebels, now he seemed at least twenty years older. Fylakas watched him with pain in his eyes. I have destroyed many men, he thought to himself. But never before have I destroyed a good man by inches, and had to watch each faltering step of the way. The hell of it was, it did not need to be this way! It would be so easy for Milos to simply go with the flow, to let the spell gently channel him down the path of least resistance! It was doing nothing more than strengthening his own natural inclinations, after all; the power of Secrets could do no more than that. And yet Milos fought it, every moment, every day! He strove futilely to be the ruler he thought his people needed: Milos the Mighty. Occasionally that forceful man peered through Milos' eyes; but then the spell prevailed and he would lapse back into being Milos the Mild. The struggle was killing him. "My people!" Milos croaked, "My dear people! It is with anguish in my heart that I have received this message from the Chrysian Empire! And yet is my dearest hope that, if we can find this felon, this Maldark, we may yet prevent outright war!" [A Prediction, naturally.] With sudden forcefulness, he said, "We cannot, we will not, permit the Empire to dictate our actions! Were he not a criminal, we should never hand him over!" Then he faltered as the spell reasserted itself and turned a desperate glance to Fylakas, asking plaintively, "Right?" His heart breaking, Fylakas said, "It is well said, my Lord." He knew the court had to be suspicious that Milos was leaning on him so openly, but he could not bring himself to care. He had never suspected Milos, not only of such determination, but of such essential goodness and selflessness. When court ended, he made his way home, his face clouded with sorrow and doubt. [Feel sorry for Milos, but not for SuentisPo. He took immense delight in, as he put it, "Twisting the knife!" :)] ------------------------------- [Side Effect time! If Maldark is not turned over to the Empire, Fylakas will suffer a crushing degree of guilt. Frankly, I more than half suspected the same "Side Effect" would occur if it went the other way too!] ------------------------------- When Maldark arrived at their usual meeting-spot, Fylakas had hardened his face into a mask of business once more. "Have you found a suitable double to give the Imperials?" Maldark grimaced. "I fear not. I had one who seemed suitable, but his face was too badly burned during the, ah, acquisition." [I don't think I want to know...] "We are running out of time." "I know it well! Half my men are considering claiming the reward on my head! What do you suggest?!" Fylakas said, face hard and cold, "A body-swap." Maldark sucked in his breath. "Truly? ... I have not the ability to pull off such a working alone." [Anything involving souls is Heap Big Magic in this setting. It's a really big deal.] "The boy and I will assist you." Maldark rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Secrets... what is your angle in this?" "The opposition to the working will come from the innermost soul of the subject, his most secret self. With the rites of Shaprenka, we can suppress this opposition and ease the transfer. You can see something similar at work in the governor, I trust." Maldark shook his head. "It is a dire extremity. I have spent years building up a reputation with this face, and to throw it all away!" Fylakas told him impatiently, "I can easily make you an item to keep your appearance secret and show the world a seeming of your old self, whenever you please." The man looked impressed. "That would indeed be a boon. Yes, I think this can work. We must simply find a suitable victim." He pondered, and Fylakas knew he was considering which of his allies he could afford to betray and murder. "Yes, I can find such a man. When shall we do the deed?" "The sooner, the better. I will prepare the working in my sanctum; it should be ready by tomorrow. Then bring me to the man; I can make him docile for our work." "Agreed." ------------------------------- Kerdizo stalked into the Golden Goblet, weighed down by troubles and decision. Spotting Fylakas already seated there, he moved to join him. "So. What is your opinion of our psychotic, bipolar ruler?" [SuentisPo: "Yeah! Twist that knife! Twist it, I say!" :)] Fylakas hid his grimace behind a swallow of wine. "I rather assiduously strive not to have opinions about psychotic, bipolar rulers at all. They tend to take it badly." Kerdizo snorted. "That they do. ... I have reached a decision, friend Fylakas." "Oh?" "Yes. I have decided that an invasion by the Empire would be bad for trade." [Attitude!] Fylakas shrugged. "No doubt and it will, but what can you or I do about it?" Kerdizo replied matter-of-factly, "I intend to destroy the Empire's economy." Fylakas stared at him. "Friend Kerdizo, are you feeling quite well? All this stress..." Kerdizo waved that off. "I'm quite serious. The Empire debased their currency during the civil war - the more fools they. And I am sitting upon a large stock of old, pure silver coins. Further, there is an old Imperial Mint here in the west, as you know - in which I have acquired an interest." He continued, "I have trade factors throughout the Empire's territory. By manipulating their currency by the carefully-considered spreading of pure coin, I will be able to distort prices beyond their ability to cope. They will not recover for a decade, if that." Fylakas' jaw dropped. He had raised the manipulation of a city to an art form; but the idea of manipulating an entire continent had been quite beyond his ambitions. When he could speak, he said quaveringly, "You... show unexpected depths, my friend. Is this truly practicable?" "Not yet," Kerdizo admitted. "It will require a great deal of coin, more than I have yet amassed. But I am in the process of doing so." "Why are you telling me this?" "The Governor listens to you. We must delay war for as long as we can... and then we must inform the Empire through diplomatic channels. I should rather use the threat of economic destruction to prevent war, than to take vengeance for one already in progress." Fylakas shook his head in amazement. "I will see what I can do, though I can promise nothing." "The attempt is all I ask. What man can promise more?" --------------------------- [The Crisis level was starting to get really high, with all the threat of war. (Again, we'd misread the rules, so it probably shouldn't have been quite so high. But it all worked out fine regardless.) These next few scenes were played under the expectation war was coming.] Milos received Fylakas and Mathitis in his audience chamber once more, looking worn and used-up. (Mathitis regularly accompanied Fylakas to court now, in case the spell should go awry.) He said weakly, "Oh, my friend, my friend. I do not know what more I can do for my dear people." Fylakas took his hand. "You have done well, friend Milos. No man could ask more of you." Milos rallied. "I ask more of myself! I would shed my blood a thousand times for Emporopolis!" Then he retreated into himself and said weakly, "I think? Does that sound right?" Fylakas swallowed, and Mathitis watched with wide eyes. "I know that you would. I have... watched you struggle, for this city. You have done so with honor." "Will... will they remember me, do you think? It will not all be for naught?" Fylakas promised, "If none else, I will remember you, my Lord. I swear it." "Good... good. It is good to have a friend. Good Fylakas! I have always been able to rely on you." Fylakas swallowed again. "Yes, Milos. I also have seen you as a friend." As Fylakas and Mathitis left the palace, Fylakas abruptly said earnestly, "Promise me something, my boy." Mathitis asked warily, "Master?" "Promise me that you will be a better man than I have been. Promise that you will never betray anyone as I have betrayed Milos. It is ... wrong, what I have done. He deserved better of me..." [SuentisPo, laughing: "Huh! I see I'm not the only one who can twist a knife!"] Mathitis gulped. Fylakas had not made it a command under the terms of his Vow, so he could promise freely... for now. "I, ah, of course, master." "Say it. Please." "I promise, master." "Good." --------------------------- Fylakas' sanctum in the back of his shop was festooned with arcane implements, prepared for a working greater than any other he had ever attempted. Candles burned in strategically-chosen spots; incense and exotic herbs choked the air; wire of silver traced nameless patterns between walls, floor, and ceiling. Maldark was here for the first time, suitably impressed by the preparations. With him was a young, muscular thief, a blissfully blank expression on his face; the power of Secrets kept him from being aware of his surroundings. They discussed the final details of the spell. Fylakas explained, "It is simple enough, for all the power that it requires. You leave your body, then the boy and I enact the rites of Shaprenka to lower the vessel's resistance. You occupy him, and he will gravitate into your own former shell." Maldark nodded. "Understood. And remember, I [i]must[/i] be the one to kill the mark. Odd as that will be, killing a man wearing my own accustomed flesh! But if I do not betray a life to my Nameless Lady in such a working as this, She will betray me and take mine own." He shrugged. "That was the deal." Fylakas nodded. "Yes. Now, the Rites of Shaprenka demand that my presence be ritually 'secret' to you, so I must stand behind you, like so. The boy will stand... here. Are you ready?" Maldark sighed, and looked into the blank eyes that were soon to be his own. "Ready." He began to chant, slithering syllables that the ear rejected; the Nameless Lady of Betrayal and Murder was more alien than most of the Spirits. Swaying back and forth, he produced a dagger and placed it in the victim's right hand... then he went rigid as his spirit left its home. Fylakas then calmly reached forward and slit his throat. The magic in the air abruptly froze, and a silent scream shook the aether; then Maldark's lifeless body dropped, shedding surprisingly little blood. Mathitis goggled, frozen with shock. "Yuh, you, but!" Fylakas sent him a knowing glance, then snapped his fingers in front of the erstwhile victim's face while handing him the bloody knife. "Good job, man! You've killed Maldark in self-defense! Now go, take him to the palace to receive your reward!" It was the flip of a coin whether that 'reward' would be money or a hangman's noose, but no matter. The man was seriously confused at suddenly appearing in this strange place, but he understood the idea of 'reward' readily enough and soon obeyed. Fylakas grinned mirthlessly at the still-incoherent Mathitis. "Well, my boy! Do you suppose that was betrayal and murder enough to satisfy the Nameless Lady? I must go and ensure an orderly transition of power for the Thieves' Guild. [Authority, natch.] You stay here and clean up the mess." Mathitis stood there nervelessly and whispered, "Y-yes, master." [My willingness to discard my pawn completely blindsided SuentisPo. (JoJoz twigged to it as soon as Fylakas said he had to stand behind Maldark, but didn't say anything.) What can I say, you gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. :)] [From Fylakas' point of view, it was just too perfect: We'd be able to give the Empire Maldark's genuine body, even with traces of sorcery on it - and only his own flavor, at that. Maldark had become a liability, and as an added bonus, it enabled him to send a firm message to his apprentice. Something along the lines of, 'Stop that.' ;)] [It looked like the Crossroad was going to give me everything I wanted and nothing I didn't want. Perspective had assured us that outright war would not occur, so it seemed likely we'd get the Empire off our backs. Crisis was still high, but we could bleed it off if need be.] [How wrong I was! Because SuentisPo still had a trick up his sleeve.] ---------------------- [Crossroad resolution! Emporopolis gave Maldark's body to the Empire, so we were spared outright war. The Thieves' Guild had an orderly transition of power. Fylakas did not suffer crushing guilt under the Side Effect.] [Me: "Okay, my turn!" SuentisPo: "Hold on, we're not done with the Crossroad yet." "Huh?" "I'm changing Roles to Touchstone."] [JoJoz and I both stared at him. "Wha?! How? WHY?" He grinned at us. "You'll see."] The court buzzed with relief as Maldark's body was delivered on the very eve of war. Milos gave a triumphant yet strained speech. "My people! My dear people! We have found the villain Maldark, and this is good! And we will turn him over to the Empire as they have asked, and this also is good! ... And yet, and yet," here he faltered, "I fear I have bad news as well." Pausing to gather his strength against the spell, he said, "There are, more sorcerers, out there! Among us! Doing... terrible, terrible things!" And then he pitched forward, suffering a massive stroke. [SuentisPo grinned at us, daring us to say that wasn't a high enough Price. Then, as a newly-minted Touchstone, he formalized that as an Attitude... and gave the Crisis level the last nudge it needed to overflow.] [And all. Blazing. Hell. Broke loose.] Fylakas rushed forward, kneeling by the rapidly-fading body of his friend. "Oh, Milos, forgive me! I am so sorry!" He continued kneeling there, weeping, oblivious to the hysteria that was breaking out in the court and beyond. The city erupted in convulsions of paranoia. Long-simmering resentments against sorcerers, fanned by the recent rabble-rousing of Logite priests, burst into flame - literal as well as figurative. Spontaneous witchhunts broke out, and resentments between neighbors now overflowed into accusations and denunciations of practicing foul arts. Fires were set to purify the homes of the accused, and these often spread. Milos died within days of his apoplexy. Fylakas shielded himself and Mathitis from notice with the power of Secrets. Still stunned with shock and grief, he did manage to order the Thieves' Guild to come out of hiding and work openly with the Watch to help maintain order. Kerdizo, having already had some success in organizing the populace, worked to stem the worst abuses and organize fire-fighting brigades. Many looked to him for guidance in the troubled weeks ahead. [We voted on the survival of the Kingdom, and it came out 2-1 against. (Mine was the vote for.) So there came the aftermath:] When the Imperial fleet arrived in harbor, the people greeted them with open arms as saviors from corrupt nobles and foul sorcerers. [And thus there was no outright war, as had been Predicted.] The Logites received conversions in droves, and clamor arose for Emporopolis to re-accede to Imperial rule. Thus it came about that Milos' dearest wish was granted shortly after his death; the city returned to the Empire's fold peacefully. And indeed, it was a very generous and honorable offer, granting the city a notable degree of autonomy. Rather more generous than the Empire was accustomed to granting, in fact... Kerdizo did not yet have enough coin to destroy the Empire's economy, but he had enough to run a colossal bluff. On the strength of that deceit, he wrung concessions from His Imperial Majesty's representatives without mercy. When the dust settled, he had been appointed as the first Lord Mayor of the Imperial Free City of Emporopolis, with enough of a title patent to keep the local nobility from getting too restless. The only downside was that his sway now ran only over the city's immediate environs, rather than the whole province in which it had formerly resided. [Thus explaining the somewhat odd political structure 300 years down the road, with the capital of the province being a dinky little town compared to Emporopolis.] [SuentisPo: "They'll insist you convert, you know." JoJoz: "Do they insist I actually believe it?" Me: "Nah. So long as you make a big show of converting, they won't care." JoJoz: "Kerdizo is like, 'Eh, fine, whatever.'" :)] [It happens, by the way, that in the FATE game 300 years later, JoJoz' character is a small-time con artist named Timios. We joked that if Timios could see what Kerdizo had done - running a con on the entire Empire! - he'd probably worship Kerdizo as a god. :)] The new Lord Mayor gathered the now-outed members of the Guild of Thieves in a courtyard. "I thank you for your service to your city. You may continue to serve as members of my new City Watch and receive pardon for all your crimes prior to this date, or. ... I will leave the finishing of that sentence to your imagination." Apparently the thieves had good imaginations; they all signed up. [Which fits the fact that we know, 300 years later, that Emporopolis doesn't have a unified Thieves' Guild, but a fragmented underworld where different warlords struggle for control.] [What happened to Fylakas and Mathitis? As it happens, I wrote up an Epilogue for them the night after the game, and that's in the next post! In the post after that, I'll give some of my thoughts and analysis about the game.] [And let me just note one final irony: Since he was a Touchstone at the time, Milos did in fact die as a Man of the People. ;)] [/QUOTE]
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Kingdom: Fear and Loathing in Emporopolis (Updated June 20, 2013)
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