Session 132 (September 30, 2021)
30 Ke-Ras
Sir Clarence Strawberry comes to speak with Dame Brionna. “We have reason to believe that the Valley of the Dead has been prepared as a death trap and is succeeding at being a death trap for a large number of refugees. 100,000 were diverted away to the City of Enclaves to take up positions in their farmland. But the bulk of them are heading southward, and some are entering the Valley of the Dead, being killed and turned into undead, and then being sent back to gather more. As best as we can tell, this is unrelated to any of the problems in Hanal—we think this is an opportunistic master lich seeking to take advantage of this to gain more power. We do not see any way to stop this without endangering our other strategic interests.”
“What do we know of this master lich?”
“When he was alive, he was a noble in Debonai. He fled to the Valley of the Dead when they found out that he was a necromancer and then began to take over, having done so successfully.”
“When you say the bulk of the refugees, how many are you talking about?”
“About 250,000, Dame. They are mostly farmers. I mean, how much good can they be to him?”
“How much evil could they do, rather, beyond the evil of their deaths. Thank you for bringing this to me. Please bring me any further updates or reports that you have.”
* * *
Dame Brionna brings this to the rest of the Council.
They examine a map carefully, noting that the geography funnels any group that wanted to continue south towards the Valley of the Living Dead. Most actual trade goes through Gates, the westernmost of the three valleys that provide crossings through the Perimeter Mountains, but the refugees may not be aware of that, since it is far from their homeland. And even if they are, Gates charges significant tariffs for any passage—refugees may not be able to pay.
After some discussion, Alistair suggests that the field army in Lyneham head northeast to cut the refugees off from the Valley of the Living Dead and instead to resettle them in the area around Lyneham. Kit is a little agog at the idea of attempting to incorporate 250,000 people into her domain, but doesn’t object. Most of them are farmers, and there is plenty of land that could be farmed. If some of them can mine in the silver mines she’s establishing, so much the better.
They also decide to bring in the Ecumenical Council to deal with the undead—and possibly to send a group of perhaps six adventurers to take on the lich, assuming that doesn’t create too many political issues. Dame Brionna suggests that they find out who the lich was related to in life and more information about him. Alistair also notes that they’ll need to reach out to the Temple of Paranswarm to make it clear that they’re not trying to poach followers, as well as Princess Anastasia because those are nominally her people. Alistair also notes that they will need to speak to Princess Mirabelle of Gates, because increasing the Empire’s power just north of the Perimeter Mountains could be viewed as threatening.
[King of Debonai is Athelstan the Younger; his brother is Leoric]
* * *
Kit goes to speak to her Archivist about the lich’s background. “He was at one time, some time ago, Torbert of the House of Tertullian.”
“No wonder he turned to evil, with a name like that.”
The Archivist chuckles. “But that was many years ago. He turned 204 years ago.”
“Did he have any descendants?”
“Yes, he had a whole life before he turned. It was only in his old age that he took up necromancy. His House still stands, with his descendants, though they might not acknowledge their progenitor now. He also turned from his faith and became Morgrothian in his efforts to achieve status as a lich.”
House Tertullian is fairly heavily infiltrated at this point—the house’s reputation still has not recovered.
Kit plans on reaching out to her old agent in Debonai. Among other things, she wants to identify whether Torbert has any heirlooms or the like that could be used to scry on him.
* * *
Alistair goes to speak with the Princess Mirabelle. After some continuation of the trade negotiations in a large group with staffers, courtiers, and servants present, Alistair announces that he has some security matters to discuss with Princess Mirabelle that are only for her ears. Even as he begins saying that, all of the Canberran staff quickly begin filing out of the room, well aware of Alistair’s intentions. Mirabelle’s aides and attendants file out more slowly, and one in particular hesitates before leaving—likely assigned by her father as a chaperone of sorts. Now that Alistair has identified her, he uses the mindlink to put some of his staff on the duty of keeping her busy and away from Princess Mirabelle.
They flirt briefly—Princess Mirabelle has recovered from the trauma of the attack—and then proceed onwards with the assignation.
Afterwards, Alistair says, “There is an actual security thing that I needed to discuss with you.”
“Oh? I thought that was just to get people out of the room.”
“Well, it was mostly to get people out. But, much as much as I wish that our visits could be all about us, some of it does still need to touch on the affairs of state. There is, as you may know, a large group of refugees streaming south from Hanal.”
“Yes, dear, some of them have passed through Gates—mostly the more successful types. Some crafters have even been resettled within Gates.”
“Indeed, I suspect that many of them have been shy of heading to Gates because of the tariffs involved in passing through.”
“We have turned a significant number of them away for inability to pay.”
“I'm not certain where they're trying to go, but nonetheless.”
“Oh, they're terrified. They think that the wash from Hanal that they experienced the edge of is going to spread everywhere north of the mountains. And so, while they may not know where they want to go, they want to travel south of the Perimeter Mountains to where they think they’ll be safe.”
“We were thinking that it might make sense for us to gather them in an area north of the mountains where we have some troops already in place. One of my courtiers has a small holding north of the mountains and, for unrelated reasons, we moved some troops there to deal with some threats to the courier's domain. We think using that army to organize and resettle the refugees would allow us to manage that situation, which we think would be advantageous because currently many of them are heading into the Valley of the Living Dead, where they are promptly being murdered and turned into undead.”
“Yes, that is what he does.”
“You're familiar with Torbert, then, and his works.”
“Everyone nearby is familiar with Torbert and what he does.”
“The reason I mentioned this, though, is that that would involve attempting to resettle a very large population into an area that is loyal to the Empire, just north of the Perimeter Mountains, north and to the west of the Northern Gates. And there could be some who would view that as being provocative.”
“Yes, we might be worried that that would have the effect of encircling us.”
“Of course, that has nothing to do with the matter -- I just want to save the refugees’ lives and give them a new future. The only part of Gates that I'm interested in encircling is you.” Alistair gives Princess Mirabelle a squeeze as he says this. “But I did want to speak with you about that and both see how you thought Gates would react and see if we could perhaps include an agreement that this was understood as being acceptable as part of the trade negotiations.”
“I can assure you that as long as you don't encroach on his territory, certainly my father will have no concerns. There have been random tiny baronies and things up there for century, I think, and they've never bothered Gates. Gates has never bothered them. And our fortifications would be enough to protect us if they did move. North and South certainly would have no problem--you've been declared Protector of Light. East and West, though--you should send an ambassador.”
“We intend to speak with representatives of the Temple of Paranswarm. And I suspect that if we can assuage their concerns, they will be able to assist us with East and West.”
“I think you're correct there, and let us be honest, the High Queen is very powerful but she doesn't do anything above ground. So, if you can convince the Temple of Paranswarm, you'll have done everything you will need to do.”
“It will actually redound to Gates’s benefit to have a stable dominion up there. It will result in an increased amount of trade between Canberry and that area, and between that area and points further south And all of that trade, or at least the lion's share of it, will travel through Gates itself.”
“That will please the Council. Do you have any idea how many people Torbert may have converted?”
“No, we know that there were approximately 250,000 refugees traveling south. My understanding is the bulk of them have not yet reached that area, but I would assume that we would have to think in terms of tens of thousands.”
“With tens of thousands of undead… Torbert wants his old lands back. I’m not sure what a lich would do with them, but…”
“Debonai is in quite some disarray currently. If he made a push, that could be quite dangerous.”
“You might want to warn Debonai, my dear.”
“I think I shall. Thank you, darling, for bringing that to my attention.”
“And thank you for trusting me with actually important things -- my father rarely does.”
“But you are so intelligent and capable!” Alistair responds truthfully. “Is that simply because he can't see past the fact that you are a woman?”
“No, it's simply that he can't see past the fact that I'm his child.”
“Does he treat your brothers similarly then?”
“Yes, it's going to be a disaster when the inevitable happens, I'm afraid.”
“Are you likely to inherit or one of your brothers?”
“I'm most likely to inherit, but all the training I have for it, I've had to learn on my own. It's easy to get him to give me any tutor I want. But its as if in his mind I haven't grown any older than I was when I was in my early teens. Others have remarked on it with all of us. But what can you do? I do love him dearly. He's a good father. Not everyone can say that about their parents.”
“What if you were to establish a holding of your own? It would give you a chance to exercise actual rulership, while not having to deal with the matters directly of the city's governance?”
“But other than the farming villages the city doesn't own anything outside of its walls.”
“Yes, but there is an area that is beyond the formal holdings of the Archduchy that is near Gates. If you perhaps were to create a settlement in the gap between the small mountain chain south of the Perimeter Mountains and south of the Cities of the Gates. Trade travels over to the river and then down into the Archduchy of Canberry. If you were to set up a port on that river-the river is navigable, and there's an advantage to being able to switch into barges to travel down the river. The river doesn't go to Canberry City, but it still travels deep into the heartland of Canberry. And then south on indeed all the way to Haven. So that would be an advantageous place for you to build a city anyway, and it would then give you some functional experience of of rulership before you needed to claim your city.”
“Fascinating idea…”
“And of course, I can't help but think that you having your own domain on the very borders of the Archduchy would mean that a certain amount of continuing visits back and forth would be almost necessary.”
She smiles broadly at that.
“I would propose that we include that in the agreement on trade and on the agreement of addressing the security concerns, towards the north. In my capacity as Archduke, I will agree that that area is beyond the Archduchy of Canberry and that we would have no objection to a Princess of Gates establishing her own holding there. And then, in my capacity as the Emperor, that area is clearly unambiguously within the Empire of Southern Drucien. But of course, we will be happy to have a personal vassal relationship with a royal from a good Glordiadelian kingdom, without any claims, of course, on authority over Gates in our Imperial capacity. Then at that point, it almost ties your father's hands to agreeing while at the same time being substantially a major concession as part of the negotiations.”
“The Council of Gates would certainly go for it.”
“Now, they must understand that this would be your domain and the domain of your line, not in formal union with the House of the City of the South or of Gates as a whole. But once you inherit, you'll have the personal union. That will both give you some flexibility while also meaning that were you not to inherit, they would lose that and thus they have every reason to support your claim.”
“I know there were people who, when you came to the throne, said that you had not been properly prepared. I disagree. I think, my dear, that you were extremely well prepared in many ways.”
“And I am confident that you will make a grand and glorious queen when the time comes. Because, regardless of your father's limitations with regards to his children, I can see you for what you are.”
“Thank you.”
“I hope that you've been finding that lady-in-waiting that we provided for you helpful. It's quite awkward she's talented and able but her family is of such minor connection, and in the old Southern Kingdoms’ nobility, that there's no real place for her in our court.”
“I do find her helpful. She has a lot of knowledge.”
“I suspect that she would be a most helpful aide in your new dominion or perhaps in managing your household’s needs back in Gates. If, of course, you were willing to do her the great service of allowing her to continue to help you. As I said, it is unfortunate that although she is has clear talent prospects here are minimal. There's a limit to how much that we can do to promote people who don't have the right connections. You understand the balance with the nobles.”
“Particularly if I'm going to take on a new duty elsewhere, indeed, having an aide with her knowledge and her abilities is very useful. I will certainly keep her with your permission.”
“As I said, it would be it would be a kindness to her, and it would resolve a awkwardness in our court where we of course want to find her a good opportunity, and yet it would not make sense for us to spend too much of our own resources on that.”
“Yes. Yes, thank you. I believe we get along well and I appreciate her talents.”
[They also arranged for her to send a warning to her father that someone in his court may be a spy who tipped off the Noldar voller that she was coming.]
[cont'd]
30 Ke-Ras
Sir Clarence Strawberry comes to speak with Dame Brionna. “We have reason to believe that the Valley of the Dead has been prepared as a death trap and is succeeding at being a death trap for a large number of refugees. 100,000 were diverted away to the City of Enclaves to take up positions in their farmland. But the bulk of them are heading southward, and some are entering the Valley of the Dead, being killed and turned into undead, and then being sent back to gather more. As best as we can tell, this is unrelated to any of the problems in Hanal—we think this is an opportunistic master lich seeking to take advantage of this to gain more power. We do not see any way to stop this without endangering our other strategic interests.”
“What do we know of this master lich?”
“When he was alive, he was a noble in Debonai. He fled to the Valley of the Dead when they found out that he was a necromancer and then began to take over, having done so successfully.”
“When you say the bulk of the refugees, how many are you talking about?”
“About 250,000, Dame. They are mostly farmers. I mean, how much good can they be to him?”
“How much evil could they do, rather, beyond the evil of their deaths. Thank you for bringing this to me. Please bring me any further updates or reports that you have.”
* * *
Dame Brionna brings this to the rest of the Council.
They examine a map carefully, noting that the geography funnels any group that wanted to continue south towards the Valley of the Living Dead. Most actual trade goes through Gates, the westernmost of the three valleys that provide crossings through the Perimeter Mountains, but the refugees may not be aware of that, since it is far from their homeland. And even if they are, Gates charges significant tariffs for any passage—refugees may not be able to pay.
After some discussion, Alistair suggests that the field army in Lyneham head northeast to cut the refugees off from the Valley of the Living Dead and instead to resettle them in the area around Lyneham. Kit is a little agog at the idea of attempting to incorporate 250,000 people into her domain, but doesn’t object. Most of them are farmers, and there is plenty of land that could be farmed. If some of them can mine in the silver mines she’s establishing, so much the better.
They also decide to bring in the Ecumenical Council to deal with the undead—and possibly to send a group of perhaps six adventurers to take on the lich, assuming that doesn’t create too many political issues. Dame Brionna suggests that they find out who the lich was related to in life and more information about him. Alistair also notes that they’ll need to reach out to the Temple of Paranswarm to make it clear that they’re not trying to poach followers, as well as Princess Anastasia because those are nominally her people. Alistair also notes that they will need to speak to Princess Mirabelle of Gates, because increasing the Empire’s power just north of the Perimeter Mountains could be viewed as threatening.
[King of Debonai is Athelstan the Younger; his brother is Leoric]
* * *
Kit goes to speak to her Archivist about the lich’s background. “He was at one time, some time ago, Torbert of the House of Tertullian.”
“No wonder he turned to evil, with a name like that.”
The Archivist chuckles. “But that was many years ago. He turned 204 years ago.”
“Did he have any descendants?”
“Yes, he had a whole life before he turned. It was only in his old age that he took up necromancy. His House still stands, with his descendants, though they might not acknowledge their progenitor now. He also turned from his faith and became Morgrothian in his efforts to achieve status as a lich.”
House Tertullian is fairly heavily infiltrated at this point—the house’s reputation still has not recovered.
Kit plans on reaching out to her old agent in Debonai. Among other things, she wants to identify whether Torbert has any heirlooms or the like that could be used to scry on him.
* * *
Alistair goes to speak with the Princess Mirabelle. After some continuation of the trade negotiations in a large group with staffers, courtiers, and servants present, Alistair announces that he has some security matters to discuss with Princess Mirabelle that are only for her ears. Even as he begins saying that, all of the Canberran staff quickly begin filing out of the room, well aware of Alistair’s intentions. Mirabelle’s aides and attendants file out more slowly, and one in particular hesitates before leaving—likely assigned by her father as a chaperone of sorts. Now that Alistair has identified her, he uses the mindlink to put some of his staff on the duty of keeping her busy and away from Princess Mirabelle.
They flirt briefly—Princess Mirabelle has recovered from the trauma of the attack—and then proceed onwards with the assignation.
Afterwards, Alistair says, “There is an actual security thing that I needed to discuss with you.”
“Oh? I thought that was just to get people out of the room.”
“Well, it was mostly to get people out. But, much as much as I wish that our visits could be all about us, some of it does still need to touch on the affairs of state. There is, as you may know, a large group of refugees streaming south from Hanal.”
“Yes, dear, some of them have passed through Gates—mostly the more successful types. Some crafters have even been resettled within Gates.”
“Indeed, I suspect that many of them have been shy of heading to Gates because of the tariffs involved in passing through.”
“We have turned a significant number of them away for inability to pay.”
“I'm not certain where they're trying to go, but nonetheless.”
“Oh, they're terrified. They think that the wash from Hanal that they experienced the edge of is going to spread everywhere north of the mountains. And so, while they may not know where they want to go, they want to travel south of the Perimeter Mountains to where they think they’ll be safe.”
“We were thinking that it might make sense for us to gather them in an area north of the mountains where we have some troops already in place. One of my courtiers has a small holding north of the mountains and, for unrelated reasons, we moved some troops there to deal with some threats to the courier's domain. We think using that army to organize and resettle the refugees would allow us to manage that situation, which we think would be advantageous because currently many of them are heading into the Valley of the Living Dead, where they are promptly being murdered and turned into undead.”
“Yes, that is what he does.”
“You're familiar with Torbert, then, and his works.”
“Everyone nearby is familiar with Torbert and what he does.”
“The reason I mentioned this, though, is that that would involve attempting to resettle a very large population into an area that is loyal to the Empire, just north of the Perimeter Mountains, north and to the west of the Northern Gates. And there could be some who would view that as being provocative.”
“Yes, we might be worried that that would have the effect of encircling us.”
“Of course, that has nothing to do with the matter -- I just want to save the refugees’ lives and give them a new future. The only part of Gates that I'm interested in encircling is you.” Alistair gives Princess Mirabelle a squeeze as he says this. “But I did want to speak with you about that and both see how you thought Gates would react and see if we could perhaps include an agreement that this was understood as being acceptable as part of the trade negotiations.”
“I can assure you that as long as you don't encroach on his territory, certainly my father will have no concerns. There have been random tiny baronies and things up there for century, I think, and they've never bothered Gates. Gates has never bothered them. And our fortifications would be enough to protect us if they did move. North and South certainly would have no problem--you've been declared Protector of Light. East and West, though--you should send an ambassador.”
“We intend to speak with representatives of the Temple of Paranswarm. And I suspect that if we can assuage their concerns, they will be able to assist us with East and West.”
“I think you're correct there, and let us be honest, the High Queen is very powerful but she doesn't do anything above ground. So, if you can convince the Temple of Paranswarm, you'll have done everything you will need to do.”
“It will actually redound to Gates’s benefit to have a stable dominion up there. It will result in an increased amount of trade between Canberry and that area, and between that area and points further south And all of that trade, or at least the lion's share of it, will travel through Gates itself.”
“That will please the Council. Do you have any idea how many people Torbert may have converted?”
“No, we know that there were approximately 250,000 refugees traveling south. My understanding is the bulk of them have not yet reached that area, but I would assume that we would have to think in terms of tens of thousands.”
“With tens of thousands of undead… Torbert wants his old lands back. I’m not sure what a lich would do with them, but…”
“Debonai is in quite some disarray currently. If he made a push, that could be quite dangerous.”
“You might want to warn Debonai, my dear.”
“I think I shall. Thank you, darling, for bringing that to my attention.”
“And thank you for trusting me with actually important things -- my father rarely does.”
“But you are so intelligent and capable!” Alistair responds truthfully. “Is that simply because he can't see past the fact that you are a woman?”
“No, it's simply that he can't see past the fact that I'm his child.”
“Does he treat your brothers similarly then?”
“Yes, it's going to be a disaster when the inevitable happens, I'm afraid.”
“Are you likely to inherit or one of your brothers?”
“I'm most likely to inherit, but all the training I have for it, I've had to learn on my own. It's easy to get him to give me any tutor I want. But its as if in his mind I haven't grown any older than I was when I was in my early teens. Others have remarked on it with all of us. But what can you do? I do love him dearly. He's a good father. Not everyone can say that about their parents.”
“What if you were to establish a holding of your own? It would give you a chance to exercise actual rulership, while not having to deal with the matters directly of the city's governance?”
“But other than the farming villages the city doesn't own anything outside of its walls.”
“Yes, but there is an area that is beyond the formal holdings of the Archduchy that is near Gates. If you perhaps were to create a settlement in the gap between the small mountain chain south of the Perimeter Mountains and south of the Cities of the Gates. Trade travels over to the river and then down into the Archduchy of Canberry. If you were to set up a port on that river-the river is navigable, and there's an advantage to being able to switch into barges to travel down the river. The river doesn't go to Canberry City, but it still travels deep into the heartland of Canberry. And then south on indeed all the way to Haven. So that would be an advantageous place for you to build a city anyway, and it would then give you some functional experience of of rulership before you needed to claim your city.”
“Fascinating idea…”
“And of course, I can't help but think that you having your own domain on the very borders of the Archduchy would mean that a certain amount of continuing visits back and forth would be almost necessary.”
She smiles broadly at that.
“I would propose that we include that in the agreement on trade and on the agreement of addressing the security concerns, towards the north. In my capacity as Archduke, I will agree that that area is beyond the Archduchy of Canberry and that we would have no objection to a Princess of Gates establishing her own holding there. And then, in my capacity as the Emperor, that area is clearly unambiguously within the Empire of Southern Drucien. But of course, we will be happy to have a personal vassal relationship with a royal from a good Glordiadelian kingdom, without any claims, of course, on authority over Gates in our Imperial capacity. Then at that point, it almost ties your father's hands to agreeing while at the same time being substantially a major concession as part of the negotiations.”
“The Council of Gates would certainly go for it.”
“Now, they must understand that this would be your domain and the domain of your line, not in formal union with the House of the City of the South or of Gates as a whole. But once you inherit, you'll have the personal union. That will both give you some flexibility while also meaning that were you not to inherit, they would lose that and thus they have every reason to support your claim.”
“I know there were people who, when you came to the throne, said that you had not been properly prepared. I disagree. I think, my dear, that you were extremely well prepared in many ways.”
“And I am confident that you will make a grand and glorious queen when the time comes. Because, regardless of your father's limitations with regards to his children, I can see you for what you are.”
“Thank you.”
“I hope that you've been finding that lady-in-waiting that we provided for you helpful. It's quite awkward she's talented and able but her family is of such minor connection, and in the old Southern Kingdoms’ nobility, that there's no real place for her in our court.”
“I do find her helpful. She has a lot of knowledge.”
“I suspect that she would be a most helpful aide in your new dominion or perhaps in managing your household’s needs back in Gates. If, of course, you were willing to do her the great service of allowing her to continue to help you. As I said, it is unfortunate that although she is has clear talent prospects here are minimal. There's a limit to how much that we can do to promote people who don't have the right connections. You understand the balance with the nobles.”
“Particularly if I'm going to take on a new duty elsewhere, indeed, having an aide with her knowledge and her abilities is very useful. I will certainly keep her with your permission.”
“As I said, it would be it would be a kindness to her, and it would resolve a awkwardness in our court where we of course want to find her a good opportunity, and yet it would not make sense for us to spend too much of our own resources on that.”
“Yes. Yes, thank you. I believe we get along well and I appreciate her talents.”
[They also arranged for her to send a warning to her father that someone in his court may be a spy who tipped off the Noldar voller that she was coming.]
[cont'd]
