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Post by Azuloth on Jan 24, 2016 18:34:54 GMT -5
"Thank you for your kind patience, my lord. Please, proceed straight to the Ziggurat at the end of the street. Open the gate!"
And with that, the pair of guards were no longer impeding their path. What lay ahead for them was a street full of people and buildings. A bustling city, Kel'alee was. The music was everywhere. From the patter of hard soled shoes on the streets, to the plucking sounds of strings. Music filled the air entirely. There was a harmony about the place. Even where the music seemed to clash it tended to become something more than itself. An expression of freedom, of art, and of the indefatigable spirit.
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Post by King Redgar Karligar on Jan 26, 2016 9:02:20 GMT -5
"Yes. Their rebellion was such a tragedy."
Mina said this, allowing Tyr to make all of the normal gestures befitting a gentleman meeting a lady for the first time. She was not unaware of society and it's rules or customs. While her cousin babbled on and practically waged a war against insult by himself. She sat atop her horse and did nothing. When it was over and the guards opened the gate she was visibly relieved. She did not want her cousin to get into a brawl right there just before the gates.
"Uncivilized city. Can you believe their nerve, Duke Mardok? It is insulting. Bah, let us proceed to this Ziggurat of theirs and broker this deal. Then maybe we can tour the city, how would you like that Mina?"
"I would like that. Duke Mardok was inquiring as to why we're here."
"Ah, yes. To broker that deal for.. what's their name... The Republic of Cruinthe? I think that was it. Did you hear that there was an attempt on the King's life recently? I think he's losing his grip, letting an assassin get that close. Next thing you know, he'll be building some kind of secluded fortress and never come out of it."
"Not that we've ever seen him."
"No. Father never let us go to Fordeth. 'It's best to stick to our peers and out of the provinces', he always said."
As they chatted on, Redgar and Mina would bring their horses to bear on the road and ride towards the Ziggurat as they were supposed to do. The pyramid was far down the street, it would be quite a while at a solid walking pace before they got there. Plenty of time to get to know each other.
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Tyr
Human 
Shaper
Being a FUR BLANKET
Posts: 513 
Moral Alignment: Pure Hearted
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Post by Tyr on Feb 14, 2016 14:23:35 GMT -5
Tyr was the odd one out, walking his horse into Kel'Alee while the other two rode. He aimed to find a stable as soon as possible to avoid conflicting with the local laws, and in his mind riding clashed with that goal. Keeping his eyes peeled the Duke split his attention to maintain the conversation as well. No need to be rude to the man he wanted to smack with a forge hammer.
"A different history bred a different culture I imagine. Kel'Alee maintained neutrality for so long they feel no need for weapons inside the city. With music like this though, I can't imagine calling them uncivilized." It was almost alive, fitting the sound of the horse's hooves and their own voices into a shifting song without any real effort. "Besides, you'd be hard pressed to find many places this lively and rich in the rest of the country." The news of the assassin broke off his continued train of thought. He, in fact, had not heard. Tyr knew the other factions were attempting to wrest control of the land, but to attack the King outright this early on? That was...well, quite bold of them. Such a reportedly powerful sorcerer nearly being killed went counterpoint to everything Tyr new of the...man.
"There are stories of powerful individuals traveling the land. For one to get so close but to fail...I pity the fool who had it attempted should they be found out. I imagine the King won't let that go unpunished." They might even see the battle mages patrol the land in search. Wouldn't that just a wonderful thing.
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Post by King Redgar Karligar on Feb 17, 2016 21:24:55 GMT -5
"You have the right of it, of course, Duke Mardok. Perhaps there is a festival on? Sorath is far more interesting when there's a tournament on. As Morith is more interesting when there is trade."
"A festival would be interesting."
"Yet I have the distinct feeling they are like this all the time."
"So very happy."
"What's not to enjoy. They have music. Wealth. Food. One may want to leave the country and live here instead. Not that I would. But I can imagine they have a very strict immigration policy."
"A wonder."
"Perhaps it's a thing we can use as leverage. This is a city. They don't have a lot of other territory. They must be itching to expand."
Yes, Redgar. That was the entire idea. Open up Innorsford for people from Kel'Alee to live there as well. Open up trade. Did you miss the mission objectives? Did you miss the briefing? Did you just show up to ruin Duke Mardok's holiday in Kel'alee? Yes?
Redgar was focused more on the things happening around him than his companions. Mina, however. Would not ignore Tyr at all. She had come to like Duke Mardok. He had a way of making things pleasant, where her cousin would immediately trample over everything if he was allowed to. Mina, though of a violent temperment herself, could easily find the positive aspects of a thing.
Of couse, that was the very thing she wanted to destroy.
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Tyr
Human
Shaper
Being a FUR BLANKET
Posts: 513
Moral Alignment: Pure Hearted
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Post by Tyr on Mar 2, 2016 21:58:35 GMT -5
With the air around them charged in musical tones it seemed likely Kel'Alee always had a festival on. The city was on big party, with the day to day happenings of life going on almost as an afterthought. The Duke's attention was dragged every which way, eyes caught by glimpses of a play happening down one street, ears entranced by music drifting from every which way. There was so much to take in that it was almost draining. It dawned on him that the reverse probably kept Kel'Aleeans inside their own city. Outside the walls the world would feel empty.
"With luck we'll be able to make that territory sound like the most valuable thing in the world. With a little less luck we can at least convince them they'll have a new, guaranteed, stage to perform on." Tyr couldn't determine if Redgar had only just now grasped one of the few bargaining chips Innorsford had, or if he was simply keeping the thoughts to himself. Without knowing if the latter understood the situation, or if the man could even bargain at all, Tyr was walking into a discussion with a potential firebomb at his side. Maybe if he could temporarily get rid of him? Something down an intersection had caught the Duke's eye. An inn with what looked like actors out front.
"I do believe that troupe is putting on a show from my duchy. I must get them to perform for me some time." It was a half lie covered with a warm smile. In truth he would love to be patron to some performers, but he had no idea if any plays existed about his home land. " I'll meet you at the Ziggurat shall I? I won't be long, try not to get the agreement signed without me!" It was strangely easy to fight down the part of him that found this course of action to be immoral. Duke Karligar struck him as a bit of an opportunistic bandit with a title, and that alone left Tyr with a bad impression of his motives.
The Duke split off to head down the side road, still leading his horse instead of riding. If he could get Karliger to keep riding there might be some legal trouble, giving Tyr enough time to do exactly what he'd just asked Redgar not to do. He'd beeline for the inn, tie up his horse, pay, then turn around and head straight for the Ziggurat. He needed to get this properly completed for the people of Innorsford. They were depending on him, and Tyr felt Redgar would only make their plight worse. Time to shape some words.
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Post by King Redgar Karligar on Mar 3, 2016 21:27:20 GMT -5
Redgar just looked at Tyr as he spoke. He looked at him as if he were strange. What sort of Duke inferred that the land in Innorsford was valuable? Even if it was a lie they were going to go tell the Kel'Aleans because that was the point of all this. Redgar didn't think that land was valuable. He didn't care about it at all. Nothing grew there, there'd be no agricultural income. What could they possibly produce that would be worth something?
That's when it hit him. Like a sack full of rocks plummeting from a third story window he suddenly realized what he had been missing. Kel'Alee's agricultural worth was zero. Innorsford's agricultural wealth was zero. They were practically the same place. The only difference was that Innorsford didn't have all the music and performance art. They didn't have any sort of cultural pursuit.
He was starting to have hope for the mission, and formulate an argument in his head.
That is until Tyr told him not to do something.
How dare he.
They were equally ranked members of the Council of Dukes. Not to mention of the peerage. They couldn't tell each other what to do.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it as an order, Redgar."
It was like Mina had read his mind. He looked at her and breathed a sign of relief.
"But like hell I'm going to not do the opposite of what he just said. Because why wouldn't I? If he wants to abandon the mission for some performing... plebians then so be it. He'll catch up, as he said."
Redgar didn't wait at all, he continued on down the main road with his horse. Approaching the Ziggurat with every step his horse took.
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Post by Azuloth on Mar 3, 2016 21:45:03 GMT -5
As Redgar would reach the steps to the Ziggurat dozens of guards would close in around him. They held their pikes up, blocking his path. No horse was to be this far in the city. Did the man not read? Could the man not read? He was crazy for attempting to do so. Jail or death was the answer! Or a fine and community service! Something terrible would have to befall him for this! Perhaps a stern talking to.
"Excuse us, sir! Oh! And Lady! Sorry, didn't see you there. Can you dismount and stable your horse before proceeding up the Ziggurat? It would be greatly appreciated, seeing as we wouldn't have to arrest you then and ruin your day. And it's such a nice day."
"It is sir! Such a day!"
"What a day! What a lovely day!"
Tyr on the other hand would not be stopped if he approached the Ziggurat, as he'd be on foot. If asked, a guard would delight in showing him the way to a waiting area. The waiting area would be a large room with several couches upholstered in velvet. There were very old and very well preserved Helmistani rugs covering the stone floors. All of the furniture was carved out of rich Skaraptican dark woods. The paintings on the wall were classics. There was even a young man strumming a lute gently.
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Tyr
Human
Shaper
Being a FUR BLANKET
Posts: 513
Moral Alignment: Pure Hearted
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Post by Tyr on Mar 4, 2016 21:33:26 GMT -5
The great thing about Tyr's strategy was it didn't involve much overt deception. He didn't say he was going to actually ask those actors anything, he only expressed a desire to have them perform for him. It was a lie of omission, one of the less damning things in his eyes. The Duke had no idea if the whole tactic would work mind you, Redgar could perfectly well hop off his horse at some point and get the whole thing accomplished in a hurry, but at least there wouldn't be much in the way of political fallout. Right? Duke Karligar wouldn't find a way to use this whole thing for his own gain and screw over an entire city's worth of people...
Better walk fast.
There was no hassle in getting inside the Ziggurat itself. Tyr presented the guards with his letter and was shown to a beautifully decorated antechamber. He spent a moment admiring the artwork and rugs, enjoying the furniture, and listening to the musician. All in all a good time was had, even for a short as it was destined to be. The room was a good bit less full than the city had been and gave Tyr some space to align his thoughts. This wasn't going to be an easy discussion, but it even so it wouldn't necessarily be hard. There was something to be gained for both sides, and that gave him at least some ground to stand on.
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Post by King Redgar Karligar on Mar 5, 2016 17:34:59 GMT -5
"What in the blazing hells is going on here?"Redgar was suddenly surrounded by people demanding that he'd stable his horse and proclaiming that it was such a lovely day. He looked up at the sky, and did in fact concur with the man that it was a lovely day. It was no day to be rotting in a prison cell for such a minor thing. He wasn't aware that he had broken any laws. But to not allow horses into the city after a certain distance? How did the nobility keep the peasantry off of them? How did the peasantry know who was a noble? It was a thing he needed to find out. "Uhm... I certainly was not aware of your law regarding the horse. I wouldn't knowingly break the law, after all, I am a Duke. On that subject, how do your peasants know who is a member of the nobility if they have to traipse around on foot like everyone else? Doesn't their higher status allow them to... oh what's the word...""Circumvent.""Right. Circumvent that particular rule? I mean look how well I'm dressed. If I were to have to walk around in the streets like the rest of the people here, I'm sure these amazing leather boots would get scuffed. They are such nice boots too."Redgar said all this without having dismounted. He was still on his horse. His hand had naturally gravitated towards where his sword usedan to be.
Charisma, Diplomacy, Negotiator (unlearned): 20 lcCdszzw-Failed. 
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Post by Azuloth on Mar 5, 2016 17:50:21 GMT -5
"Oh, oh. You're a member of which nobility? The Cruinthian nobility. That's interesting. So where are you from, huh?"
"Shut up Marco. Listen sir, I know that you're not used to this sort of thing. There's a tavern about ten blocks down from here that you can go to on your horse, and stable your horse there. And there's another one in a different part of the city, but I don't recommend that if you're as noble as you say. Which of course you are, I mean no offense. It's just a nasty part of town and I'm sure your boots would be more than scuffed. That is to say covered in filth."
The guards did not move from their positions. They were still prepared to arrest him if need be. They were also prepared to kill him. There were about thirty of them. They didn't even believe that he was a nobleman. Sure, he carried himself like a nobleman, but was he really? And they really didn't care either.
A slip of a man came in, dressed in head to toe with silk clothing. The gentleman came in and bowed, then produced a scroll and read the words on it aloud.
"Duke Tyr Mardok. The Council will see you now."
He would then roll up the scroll, tuck it into his shirt, and bow again. The gentleman would then lead Tyr to the council chamber, which was a large crescent shaped chamber. Its ceilings were high with murals of wolves on two legs battling undead, obviously some kind of legend. The walls were made of white marble, and the floor was made of black marble. Both were polished to a high sheen. There were eleven hooded persons in the room. Each of their faces were obscured completely by shadows. Each set of robes worn were decorated with ornamental gold mantles and clasps, as well as embroidery. Each set of robes was also a different color. At the center of the room was white. To White's left was Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Orange. To White's right was Purple, Black, Brown, Pink, and Gray.
White began.
"We are the Chromatic Council of Kel'Alee. The Council recognizes Duke Tyr Mardok of Mardok Duchy, Sovereign Kingdom of Cruinthe. Please state your business for all of the council to hear."
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Tyr
Human
Shaper
Being a FUR BLANKET
Posts: 513
Moral Alignment: Pure Hearted
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Post by Tyr on Mar 21, 2016 1:17:08 GMT -5
Gear switch to Noble Garments, which was meant to be done when he reached the inn.
Tyr gave a formal half-bow/half-inclination of the head to the gentleman and fell into step behind him. The walk both calmed his nerves and charged them. This was something his father had tried to train him for but only got so far. Appearance had been drilled in, the Duke moved with a practiced grace even for someone of his build. His shoulders were squared and gaze was set, arms swaying lightly at his sides. None of the predatory posturing some people held when walking into a situation they aimed to take charge of. This wasn't a place to have that air of authority he sometimes used. Tyr was an outsider here.
The Council chambers were a sight to behold, with gleaming marble and masterpieces of art. It would have given the Duke pause had the Council not started the conversation for him. Returning the introduction with a deeper, more formal bow than before Tyr steadied himself for only a moment before breaking out one of his bright smiles. Full stoicism never sat well with the Duke, and trying to force it made things awkward.
"Chromatic Council, as said I am the Duke Tyr Mardok." His voice carried clear without being overly loud. Another trick from his father. "I have come to represent the people of Innorsford in creating a trade agreement with your wondrous city." Now came the hard part, actually managing that. His gaze panned the room, pausing momentarily on each council member. People liked to receive individual attention. He might not be able to see their faces, but it was worth a try. "My business is to reach a fair deal for both sides. I humbly ask you assist me in doing so."
Rolling to set things up on a good note and make everyone comfortable/friendly.
Ch/D (70) + Garments (30) + FoP (10) + Rel II(10) + Broker 0 (0) + Difficult? (-30) = DC 90
EOPfaqkq
Stats: 35 all.
HP: 700/700 MP: 458/473 (-15 FoP) Stam: 235/245 (-1)
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Post by King Redgar Karligar on Mar 21, 2016 15:29:26 GMT -5
"That would of course be Karligar Duchy. It is in the name. Because I own it. It is my land."
Redgar was pleased to see that someone was actually taking an interest in his nobility. How dare they otherwise ignore that very important fact about him? Rest assured, he would make them all pay for this. He was, of course, not going to lay down and just take his horse back to the tavern. No, that was not his mission. That was in the opposite direction of his mission. He could not fathom that very fact. It was not something that his mind could grasp. It was...
Inconceivable.
Then the man in charge derailed everything. He described that being arrested was the alternative.
How dare he.
Redgar needed to make this known.
"You can't arrest me. I'm a Duke. This treatment is uncalled for. Your superiors shall hear about this. You will of course escort me to them."
"After we stable the horses."
Mina mentioned, as if to further the conversation and plot along to the next phase of things. She knew this was all a delaying tactic. She thought Tyr was going to come up behind them and together they would muscle their way through this situation with their wit and guile.
"Yes, after the horses are stabled. I do not wish to further break your ridiculous laws so long as I am in your city. That will be another thing we discuss. Your laws."
Redgar still did not budge from his horse. He did not direct his horse to move either. He did not make any motions towards violence, mostly because he was unarmed. Instead he was just going to be obstinate. If they were going to be blocking him from succeeding in his mission he was going to waste their time. It was obvious that is what he was doing. The longer the moment went on, the more obstinate he became, the more he won inside.
Even if they threw him in jail he knew he'd win.
He was a Duke, dammit, and they would learn to respect his station.
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Post by Azuloth on Mar 21, 2016 15:48:32 GMT -5
Tyr
The members of the chromatic council looked at one another from their seated positions. Each of them shifted in one way or another. They exchanged glances behind masks. Some sort of conversation was happening that wasn't immediately obvious until the one garbed in white once again spoke aloud.
"It is decided that you may go ahead and state this trade proposal. We shall not interrupt. The floor is yours."
The members of the council sat back in their chairs to relax and listen. They were in no hurry.
Redgar
The men that surrounded him stood there baffled. Half of them were angry about his continued disregard for Kel'Alee's laws. The other half were confused as to why he was still on the horse and not following what the guard commander had ordered him to do. It was a stalemate. They all stood there and stared at each other as if daring each other to move first. After a few heartbeats the commander had enough. He took another step towards Duke Karligar.
"Please dismount your horse sir. Or I will be forced to arrest you. This is your final warning."
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Tyr
Human
Shaper
Being a FUR BLANKET
Posts: 513
Moral Alignment: Pure Hearted
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Post by Tyr on Mar 27, 2016 1:12:34 GMT -5
"Thank you. Members of the Council, your city is well known for its art and music--" And on Tyr went, giving a brief but detailed explanation of the Kel'Alee's reputation and Innorsford's current plight. The background information was somewhat necessary for a full understanding, but writing that would be like pulling teeth. Suffice to say Tyr did his best to impart upon the Chromatic Council how this agreement would only add to their reputation amongst Cruinthians, marking Kel'Alee as a place of not only fine arts, but also of benevolence.
"The fair deal comes down to a simple ideal: Kel'Alee has people and Innorsford has space. If you can provide a supplemental workforce, they can provide space for both the people and the work. Kel'Alee would gain a percentage of the goods produced by their workers, and Innorsford would have access to your surplus food in exchange for the goods their Hunter's Market can provide." There were probably things he was missing, without full information of both sides' situations he could only guess at what would be the best agreement, or if he was being played for a pittance at Innorsford's expense. Right now all he could do was trust the council to be decent people.
I'm somewhat bad at writing these kinds of things, not being that kind of speaker myself.
Rolling for securing a beneficial trade agreement to both sides.
Ch/D (70) + Garments (30) + FoP (10) + Rel II(10) + Broker 0 (0) + Difficult? (-30) = DC 90
AgXnMcS|
Stats: 35 all.
HP: 700/700 MP: 443/473 (-15 FoP) Stam: 234/245 (-1)
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Post by Azuloth on Mar 27, 2016 8:59:46 GMT -5
"You have made a good argument Duke Mardok. We will get directly in touch with Innorsfords leadership and come to terms with a beneficial deal for both sides. Our city's people could use some elbow room. Innorsfords could use artisan expertise and a larger work force. I see no downside. If there is nothing else, you may go, and go in peace."
The councilmember wearing white said. The others nodded in agreememt. That was it. The was all that needed to be done. The deal needed to be stated. The news spread. It was only a matter of getting it done now.
Mission complete. Rewards given. Thread locked.
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