A Cold Drink

[King Redgar Karligar]

Tyr had led them to the tavern, and Redgar had found it amenable to his tastes. It was a rich establishment. There was music, there were people. Plenty of people in fine clothing. Like himself. Like Tyr, and like Mina. He felt better being here rather than in the city. He thought they had entered a realm of peers. He selected a table and sat down at it, leading Mina there as well. She sat herself on his left. He ordered a bottle of wine for the table, three glasses were brought with the open but full bottle of Maltal Red.

"It is so good to find a place that appreciates the finer things. Isn't that right?"

"Yes."

Mina was of few words now. She was obviously tired, and wanted to retire to her room shortly. But maybe after a game of cards and a few drinks. In fact the more she sat there the more she wanted to be a part of whatever shenanigans were in store for the night. Perhaps she'd get herself involved in some trickery.

[Tyr]

Tyr sat himself opposite Redgar and admired the scenery. The Harp was set up in quite the Cruinthian style, a haven in a foreign city. He could only imagine it was popular with tourists. Getting people nice and comfortable was a good way to rake in the money. With Redgar taking care of the drinks Tyr figured to take care of the food. Soliciting orders from the pair Tyr waved a barmaid over and ordered for the group. Cutlets for Tyr and Redgar, a fruit bowl for Mina, and chowder for all three, plus a side order of Darthak Black tea for him to maintain a small measure of sobriety with. Alcohol wasn't a big thing with him for some reason.

"A fitting place to relax after the events of the day." It had been a long day of travel before arriving, then a briefly stressful time standing in front of the Chromatic Council. In the end everything had gone quite well, but having some time to relax was definitely appreciated.

[King Redgar Karligar]

"Yes. It is just like the establishments back home. Do you think they did that on purpose?"

"Yes, very likely."

"Hm. Well. Let us drink, be merry, and unwind from the day. Tell me about your family, Duke Mardok. I'm sure people know plenty about mine. What with us killing each other and everything."

"Hard fact to miss with half the country's circulation cut off as if by tourniquet."

Yes, that was true. It was perhaps all over the country that there was a civil war in the Karligar Duchy. Redgar probably had met Tyr more times than the common man, before that war. He was just a boy then. Those would have been at parties. There'd have been dozens of kids their age there. And then there's the alcohol and the games. And the women. Oh the women alone were distraction enough for Redgar to not pay attention to anything that was said. He could be exceedingly simple at times, and other times complex.

[Tyr]

If there was one subject likely to get Tyr talking it was making things. That wasn't what Karligar was talking about? Oh. His family? Yeah, that'd do it too.

"My family is less interesting by far I fear. When my father passed my mother opted to let the Duchy fall into my care. My two younger siblings spend most of their time studying their chosen pursuits, and my cousins are off governing their lands within the Duchy." There wasn't much he could really say about them truth be told. They didn't have terribly many interesting stories for outsiders to hear. "I also haven't been able to see them as much lately. Duty calls after all." He raised his glass to the tavern, and by extension the city of Kel'Alee which they were visiting on behalf of the Republic.

As he toasted the food arrived, platters filled with meat, fruit, and chowder being placed all over the table. Tyr cut a bite from the salamander cutlet almost immediately, the day's events having left him fairly famished. After swallowing he poked about his brain for some points of idle conversation and found nothing coming to mind. Well, might as well get Karligar talking about himself then eh? Best situation for all probably.

"How fair your lands after the rebellion? Have the people transitioned well?" With the laws that went into place shortly after Redgar took over, and their drastic effect on the countryside, he figured things probably weren't going that well. If he could get the inside word on the situation though, maybe he could find a way to improve it.

[King Redgar Karligar]

How were the people doing? He wasn't so sure. He hadn't asked any of them because he didn't really care how they were doing. Regarding worked over his meal a bit, thinking about the question. He could speak on the rebellion and the nature of rebellions in general. But whether or not the people were doing well was more or less measured in his mind by how rebellious they were being.

Right now they weren't rebelling so he came to the conclusion they were doing fine.

"A good question, my friend. I had to think about that for a minute. Ah, well... the lands are back under my control. Katrina is taking care of all the administrative things such as enacting laws and such. I'll say though, the people have been transitioning well. Not a rebellious bone left in them. Besides. There's no one left to put in charge if they were to somehow successfully depose me."

"Katrina."

"Oh that's right... she's my heir. That's a scary thought..."

"Then Dartan, Ishara, Kaln, and little Reaver. And then Datanon's children: Narth, and Alanna, and Sarnath. Then my father's side: Kaldran, me, Ethan, and Katara. In that order."

"Ah. Yes now that you mention it that does sound right. But it's not like the peasants will be leaving Karligar rule. They'd have to kill all of us."

"They're likely to starve first."

"Because peasants die from starvation. Good point."

Redgar took another huge bite from his meat.

"Because all the infrastructure is gone. Farms. Mines. Mills. Et cetera. All burned to the ground."

"Such is war. Too true. Well. They'll get their act together if they don't want to starve. I seem to remember that you dabble in... smithing? Make any interesting weapons lately?"

[Tyr]

Katrina was the one writing the laws? That certainly changed things a little. Maybe Redgar wasn't the one cutting off trade, or at least not intentionally. Perhaps it was mostly his sister's doing? That could be handled then, it was basically the same goal. It would just be a different journey to get there. Tyr ate while listening to the succession order, and the current state of the Karligar Duchy. Their lack of facilities was the perfect thing for Tyr to capitalize on.

"I have in fact. I designed a longbow a few months back that took the market by storm. I would show you my personal equipment, but alas that was checked at the gate. The only creations I have on me are these fanciful clothes." He pulled lightly at the collar of his garments. The fur and leather pieces made him quite the impressive figure socially, although they couldn't hold a candle to the strength of his armor.

"Aside from smithing though, I also have experience in the building of things such as farms, mines and mills." A smile spread across Tyr's face as he echoed the list, before he hid it behind another sip of tea. "It would seem you are in need of such buildings. Perhaps we might work out a deal some time to stop those peasants from starving. Not now of course, tonight is for rest and relaxation. How is the wine?"

[King Redgar Karligar]

"A longbow! Ah, I could use such a weapon. I, as I am sure you do, my friend, enjoy shooting for sport! Why it must be months since I've gone on a hunt for deer or salamander."

"Since before our civil war. You haven't had time."

Redgar took a long drink from his wine. He hadn't been hunting in so long it was as if he had forgotten how. He remembered stalking deer with his father. Shooting them. And carrying the back on a horse.

"The wine is good. Right, mina?"

Mina nodded, her cheeks were flushed red. The alcohol was potent. The Duke was of course feeling it as well. Even with the food. He had missed being able to relax like this. He wasn't sure why he had come to Kel'Alee in the first place, but the tavern was making up for everything that happened.

"Why are you so concerned about the peasantry?"

---

Roll carousing: Vit 17, -15 from wine, 2.
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[Tyr]

The carousing was starting to affect them, that much was evident. The night was going to start getting interesting if Redgar's normal personality was anything to judge by. Tyr could only hope they didn't end the night in Kel'Aleean jail.

"I find it useful to care about them from time to time. If they were to all starve, who would work your land? Provide you food, take care of your animals, and all the other various tasks they do?" It was the closest thing to his actual answer he would provide in present company. 'Because they're people' probably wouldn't fly with Redgar just yet. He downed the rest of his tea and polished off his food, enjoying the refreshment after the day's events. Meeting the Chromatic Council had been an adventure in of itself, and showed Tyr just how little he knew of the neutral city. While he knew there was a high council governing the place, the details of said council were completely unknown. Yet despite having gone in blind he pulled off the deal.

"Enough about them though. We're here to be merry, yes? Shall we partake in some games during our revelry?" Tyr flagged down a serving girl for another bottle of wine in preparation, and more tea for himself, before motioning over towards the game lounge. He fancied himself a hand of cards, maybe an attempt at the game with iron figurines. Hopefully Redgar wouldn't need a constant chaperone to avoid getting into trouble.

[King Redgar Karligar]

The squeaky gears in Redgar's head began to turn concerning the peasantry. In theory Tyr was correct, they did provide him with food and craftsmen and such other goods. But fealty was a contract. His end of the contract made him better than the peasantry.

"They simply uphold their end of the bargain. It is my land they toil over, it provides them with living space and food as well. From me they get protection, and security. The system works. They receive a great deal from me. I've never seen a peasant appreciate the security or be appreciative of the protection of the land they live on."

Mina nodded along with her cousin. They were both quite traditional in regards to lordship and how the system was to work. The cities with their lack of Lords ruling over them were bothersome political landscapes. Both Mina and Redgar appreciated being able to go to Tyr directly, a peer, over a concern with his land or people than some lengthy appeals process in a city.

Upon the mention of games Redgar inclined his head and motioned with and free hand to indicate that Tyr should lead, Mina should proceed before him and that Redgar himself would bring up the rear. Once they reached a table for play Redgar would speak up again.

"So what shall we play? Cards? Mina is dredfully good at playing cards."

"I will destroy you both."

[Tyr]

There was a lengthy debate to be had about who really provided what, seeing as the peasantry made up the standing combat forces that accounted for most of the 'protection and security' being provided, but Tyr didn't feel like having it. Despite their ideological differences it was good to be in the Karligar's company, ruining the evening with a pointless argument was simple folly.

Tyr led the way and chose a table at random. He wasn't entirely sure which game would favor him, if any, so why not favor the lady?

"Cards it is then, let us see just how good you are Mina." Tyr shuffled the deck sitting at the table, cutting and reshuffling a few times. "Shall we keep the ante light for the evening at, say, 5 Ritz a hand?"

[King Redgar Karligar]

Mina smiled at Tyr and imagined his destruction at her hands. She imagined him weeping on the floor, begging for mercy as she sat high upon a pile of his gold. Redgar shook her from her fantasy by taking a seat himself and getting the coins out for the initial bets. Mina sat down to follow suit.

"Which game will we be playing? Thoughts, Mina?"

"Five card draw, if you will Duke Mardok."

In truth, Redgar had resigned himself to losing this game. He could barely remember the rules and didn't know what made up what kind of hand. And Mina always won at cards.

---

10¤ placed on the table.

[Tyr]

Five card draw it was. Tyr placed his ante on the table and started a final shuffling of the cards, then dealt the hand out. It had been a while since he played cards much at all, but the rules were still mostly in his mind. There were rounds of betting, followed by the discarding and drawing of cards. End with the best hand and you win, simple.

"You both know about me, and we all know well enough about Redgar, but I know little about you Lady Mina. What is it you do to occupy the time?" He sorted his cards as he talked, trying to appear like his hand was complicated. If nothing else that might confuse them a little.

---

Rolling for cards.
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[King Redgar Karligar]

Redgar picked up his hand and looked at it as soon as Tyr was done allocating the cards. His hand was decent, but he did not feel the need to remark about it. Instead he held on to what he had, and chose to not replace any cards.

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Mina looked at her hand as well.



She did not let any emotion on her face as she looked at her cards. Instead she put them down flat, and prepared to place more money on the table, increasing the bet. Then Tyr asked his question and she was taken aback. No one had paid any interest to her when Redgar was around. His force of personality was enough to eclipse her, and she liked it that way just fine. If everyone was paying attention to him, she could get away with plenty of the things that she liked to do. But that was the question, what did she do in her free time. Well... she couldn't tell Tyr that she liked to perfect her magic. She didn't know how he'd take that. Redgar knew she was a born mage, but as far as he knew she never learned anything about it and her powers are just latent. It wasn't long before she realized that she was sitting there in silence over the question for more than a beat, and Redgar spoke up.

"Don't you... read? Things?"

"Ah... y-yes. I read, and I write things. Nothing overly worthy. I just keep a journal of what happens around the duchy."

"Is that what you do with your time? Huh. Never knew that. So, any draws?"

"I'm increasing the bet by two ritz."

She placed two coins onto the table with the rest of the pot.

---

The total is now 17R
Ante in is 5R
Current bet is: +2R·

[Tyr]

Reading and writing, there were hobbies he could relate to. Sort of, he'd only done a small spot of writing himself. His Shaper's Manual wasn't exactly the most interesting reading. Or very long. He had what, an opening and maybe a page or two? It was supposed to be a manual one could use to learn to make something from anything, but he couldn't get himself to spend enough time writing it for it to be much of a use.

"Is there anything in particular you're fond of reading?" The Duke mulled over his cards, trying to figure out what the best play was here. He had a pretty bad hand, it wasn't likely he was going to win this round. "Not that there are many things to choose from these days..." The lack of books in the kingdom was always slightly aggravating, not that there were many people who could read to complain about it. Literacy wasn't common outside of the big cities, and even then it wasn't absolute.

"I'll call." Tyr added his two ritz to the pot and waited to see what would happen. Even with a bad hand, nothing ventured nothing earned.

[King Redgar Karligar]

Redgar saw Tyr place two coins in to the pot as well. He did the same. Then the other Duke called the hand. Redgar revealed his hand, then Mina did. Redgar sighed and rolled his eyes. Of course she beat him, she always won at cards. Mina would scrape in all twenty one coins and gently stack them into piles of five, plus one stack of a single coin by itself. She would wait for the cards to be dealt again before doing anything else, other than answering the question.

"Poetry is nice. And I like stories, you know. Dramas. Where some one comes along and puts the nation in peril, and then someone else comes along and tries to save it. Our library doesn't have much to offer on that subject though."

"Mostly manuals on combat, and warfare."

"None of which you've read."

"They've been read to me."

"What sorts of books have you read, Duke Mardok?"