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Plans, operations, and intentions

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Postby Matt » Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:22 pm

Sir Ewen wrote:The thing with stealing Thilisa is that her value plummets once she enters the black market, as most of her value resides in the cachet she brings in public society. Unless you can find someone willing to trade her head for, oh, three manors, say, or you can manage to ransom her successfully, she's not worth a flip.

Or one finds a pliant (Laranian) priest and marry her. Never heard of a Harnic divorce. Abductions for such were known to have happened in the Middle Ages. Some even succeeded.

Sir Ewen wrote:A forged note purportedly signed by Sir Ewen, luring Thilisa away?

While Sir Ewen's style could be copied, I think it would be much harder to forge an elven hand. Might be good enough to fool Caldeth, but it probably wouldn't stand close scrutiny. Unless, of course, there's another elf in town ...
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Postby Lord Ewen » Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:32 pm

Matt wrote:Or one finds a pliant (Laranian) priest and marry her. Never heard of a Harnic divorce. Abductions for such were known to have happened in the Middle Ages. Some even succeeded.


Probably easier to accomplish if the priest were ignorant of the rank of the lady, given the ensuing ramifications if the Earl of Vemion finds out you married his heir against his (and possibly against her) wishes. Hence the image of Sir Rollard riding hard for another shire, kingdom, land mass...

Something else that occurs to me, though. Considering Sir Rollard a suspect, and finding his announcement that Thilisa had made her choice a bit odd, has caused me to overlook an obvious possibility. What if Rollard was telling the truth, she has made her choice, and word has started to circulate about who her choice is? And we, still in the dark, are the last to know? The "Abduct and Marry" scenario then makes more sense, if one of the disappointed blokes has decided to truss up Thilisa and high-tail it to daddy's barony, earldom, whatever and get the local Laranian to marry them proper before Vemion can do anything about it.

But what about another angle on Rollard's announcement? If word has not yet become public, say, but Sir Rollard instead appears to have spilled the beans prematurely, then doesn't it make it less likely that those sitting at the table with Sir Ewen would be inclined to frame Sir Ewen for a crime? I mean, they all have reason to believe he's been knocked out of the running, no? And wouldn't we expect word of what happened at the table to have spread yesterday evening, to the ears of those who were not at the table? "Sir Ewen's out of the running, did you hear, the lady's captain himself let it slip!" So, doesn't it seem odd that someone would go to the trouble of getting Sir Ewen arrested after word has spread that he is no longer a threat? It just seems too risky, gratuitous, or desperate when Ewen's already been knocked out of contention, no?

To me, that reasoning shortens the list considerably, or at least demotes the other suitors in terms of the odds, save for Sir Toren Curo, whose father has a whole nuther bone to pick with Sir Ewen. Does this logic follow??
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Postby Imarë » Sun Apr 25, 2010 5:13 pm

The logic does follow. My thoughts about the bluntness of Neph stem from his original attempt to gain the sword (outright attack on Sir Ewen's residence slaughtering the occupants). According to Arnys, the spy that Neph sent out in Tashal was none too skilled either. If this is a plot by Neph and his son, that would mean that the Earl has actually taken his son into his confidence and planned well in advance for contingencies that he could not count on. What if Sir Ewen arrived late? What if he gave it up and did not come at all? The Sir Foreign gambit seems more like the Neph brand to me, a kind of cudgel rather than strict finesse. For Sir Rollard to do something like this seems to me to be true love rather than trying to improve his social position. Being the captain of her guard, he is in the best position to grab her also, knowing her movements and selecting what, if any, guards will accompany her. In ranking of the suspects at this point, I put Sir Rollard first and the Curo candidate second with the others falling in way behind. None of the other suspects seem very concerned about the decision about spouse except these two (for different reasons).
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Postby Matt » Sun Apr 25, 2010 5:42 pm

Imarë wrote:My thoughts about the bluntness of Neph stem from his original attempt to gain the sword (outright attack on Sir Ewen's residence slaughtering the occupants).

Imarë wrote:According to Arnys, the spy that Neph sent out in Tashal was none too skilled either.

Imarë wrote:The Sir Foreign gambit seems more like the Neph brand to me, a kind of cudgel rather than strict finesse.

I think you're reading Neph wrong.

It was Kryste who attacked the house - Neph was angry about it when he learned of it as confirmed by Kaelyn's scrying.

Arnys thought the spy a little green, but that doesn't mean he's the only spy. Everyone starts somewhere.

Lastly, you uncovered the Curo connection in a way not available to most others. It was a pretty sophisticated attack. They went after Ewen's reputation in a place where that particular barb could be fatal - hardly a cudgel. When was the last time you saw a play like that?

Think of Neph's promise of a reward if Ewen would betray Stimos. Van saw right through it that it was not a real offer, but a cagey attempt to learn what sort of a man Ewen was. And since Nothing came of it, Neph garnered some intel after all.

What you know of Neph suggests that he uses multiple means to achieve a goal. If you persist in seeing only the cudgel, you will miss the knife in the dark. :wink:
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Postby Matt » Sun Apr 25, 2010 5:48 pm

Sir Ewen wrote:And wouldn't we expect word of what happened at the table to have spread yesterday evening, to the ears of those who were not at the table? "Sir Ewen's out of the running, did you hear, the lady's captain himself let it slip!"

It would have to spread pretty quickly to transform into a kidnap attempt so soon after Sir Rollard's bombshell.
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Postby Lord Ewen » Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:38 pm

Sir Rollard's bombshell decreases the chance that someone would need to frame Sir Ewen, because the bombshell says he's out of the running. If your goal is to marry Thilisa, you no longer need to worry about Ewen if you believe the bombshell. If your primary goal, however, is instead to ruin Ewen, then a kidnapping attempt after the bombshell can be pinned (framed) on a thwarted Sir Ewen. But I agree about the timing being tight.

There is a scenario where Caldeth has evidence against Sir Ewen, and yet no deliberate attempt to frame Sir Ewen is involved. In that scenario, Thilisa told someone, or left evidence, that she was going to see Sir Ewen last night or this morning, but on the way was abducted and has since been noticed missing. For instance, perhaps Bastune the Younger was right, and there was something odd about Sir Rollard's bombshell. Word gets back to Thilisa, and she undertakes to visit Ewen to clear things up, and perhaps leaves a note or tells Lady Elena Valador or something. She never gets to the inn, but Vemion's behavior is explained.

I'm not claiming this is likely, as it is predicated on the wishful thinking that Sir Rollard's bombshell was bogus manipulation on his part, and Thilisa still has a shine for Ewen. But it is an example of a non-frame scenario where Caldeth has evidence.
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Postby Lord Ewen » Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:21 pm

OK, well let's just say we have a surfeit of scenarios for the time being, and I think have made some progress on narrowing down the field of potential suspects. Given the available information, I agree with Dave's ranking: Sir Rollard, then Sir Toren, and then a motley assortment of others at a distant third.

How about tactics to be employed in the firing line? Last time we were arrested, by the rogue Laranian Barald Palgren, we ended up being racked for our troubles. Not that I'm equating the circumstances at all, but you will agree that the present situation looks unpromising, with Earl Caldeth showing clear signs of having committed a rush to judgment, and being a bit emotionally aroused as well. Add to that the home field advantage, lots of armed guards, and perhaps an inclination to think the worst of Sir Ewen, who slew his only son and heir, and we have a nasty brouhaha in the making. As Matt says, the situation will probably clarify early in the first hour of the session, but let's just say for the sake of argument the particulars we get from Caldeth are thorny for Sirs Ewen and Baris. So what range of options should we contemplate?

- Calm, cool reasoning. Point out logical flaws in any ploy or frame-up blaming Sir Ewen for the missing daughter. Don't respond in kind to Caldeth's anger. Try to talk him out of throwing us in the dungeon. Stay poised and dignified.

- Angry denial and indignation. Excessive calm and logic might come across as damnably insouciant given the circumstances, way too cool by half. Refuse to give emotional ground to Caldeth, by conveying the anger of a royal bastard being stripped of his weapons on a bogus charge. Demand due process while employing logic in a more aggressive fashion.

- Stage an emotional breakdown at the news that Thilisa might be in harm's way. Rend my clothing, tear my hair. Have Sir Baris shake his head and mutter in concern about Sir Ewen's touching attachment to the lady.

- Have Sir Ewen attempt a suggestion on Caldeth as he did with Harabor and the king. Implant doubt about our being involved, implant suspicion of a rival being responsible, suggest immediate release of the two doughty knights, etc.

- Attempt, without benefit of preparatory tracing, to quickly try another clairvoyance of Thilisa while standing before Caldeth, assuming she is the one missing (my 24-hour penalty has expired). Try to use whatever information is gained in the argument. (Don't know if I can pull this off without some time to concentrate, prepare, etc.)

- Mentally blast Caldeth's bowling trophies, favorite vase, etc. just to put the fear of god into him.

- If verbal debate fails to convince Caldeth, and he refuses to see reason and release us, cooperate with dignity and rely upon the distaff contingent of the party to set things right. Ewen and Baris cool their heels in the bowels of Caer Minarsis, happy in the knowledge that friends in need are friends indeed.

- Wait for our main chance, mentally blast one or more of the guards, grab their weapons, engage in some cut and thrust, and try to escape from the castle.

Mind you, these are neither exhaustive nor mutually exclusive. Just trying to get the next phase of the discussion rolling here.
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Postby Matt » Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:19 pm

Sir Ewen wrote:Stage an emotional breakdown at the news that Thilisa might be in harm's way. Rend my clothing, tear my hair. Have Sir Baris shake his head and mutter in concern about Sir Ewen's touching attachment to the lady.

My personal favorite. Difficult, though, to see how Sir Baris puts his feet up and where he gets a leg of capon on short notice. :D
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Postby Lord Ewen » Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:06 pm

We had the home field advantage on that occasion; he'd have to improvise this time around.

When in doubt, chew up the scenery? It wouldn't quite be Sir Baris as Falstaff to Ewen's Prince Hal, but it might do in a pinch. :wink:
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Postby Matt » Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:42 pm

Well, I am certain in all compass that Sir Baris drank not above seven days a week ...
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Postby Imarë » Tue Apr 27, 2010 2:15 pm

This thinking may be why Imare is not the brains of the outfit :oops: . I will continue looking for the cudgel in the face and leave the knife in the back for Sir Ewen (that does seem to be his forte).

I don't know which of the options would be best. I lean away from the quiet reasoning one because it does not seem to fit the occasion. I would think being accused of some dastardly crime would make one cry out in protest and not stand there meekly. Just my thought on the matter but I will consider more deeply over time.
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Postby Lord Ewen » Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:27 pm

Interesting, because my inclination is toward a more indignant or combative response as well. Partly due to the demands of character development trajectory, and partly because we are evidently going to have to bare some fangs in dealing with the big boys. I'm pissed as hell that Curo stole a march on us, for one thing. Public arrest is an affront Sir Ewen can no longer afford to brook with equanimity. I think Caldeth has a clue of who Ewen might be, which makes restraint even more incongruous in the face of such an affront. And, I think, we are moving into a phase of things where I just plain think we are going to have to more aggressively project power if we intend to secure an earldom. The challenge is to calibrate this, so we don't foolishly overplay the hand we presently possess.
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Postby Imarë » Tue Apr 27, 2010 8:11 pm

My comic answer to Matt was for Sir Ewen to throw Sir Baris at the Earl and run. I don't think that would help the situation but the concept does bring a smile to my face :lol:
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Postby Lord Ewen » Tue Apr 27, 2010 8:36 pm

A la Quinn? He was in an urn! I mean, sure, you've thrown a midget in your day, but I screwed my back up just helping the guy out of a pit. Never mind throwing him. :wink:
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Postby Matt » Fri Apr 30, 2010 10:39 am

Well, it would appear no one else has a clue. :?
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Postby Imarë » Fri Apr 30, 2010 11:29 am

The silence does seem a bit loud.

I like the idea of placing an idea. My main problem is the luck that Van has with his rolls on the iPhone. Lousy would be the kind way of saying it. Maybe an innocent hint would be good. Planting the idea to explain why he is accusing Sir Ewen might be good.
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Postby Lord Ewen » Fri Apr 30, 2010 11:56 am

Maligning the iPhone is a bit out of bounds, but I take your point.

We might be able to elicit that without extra help, but you are right, we should have a few intel type suggestions cued up for use if the Earl is less than forthcoming.
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Postby Matt » Fri Apr 30, 2010 2:49 pm

Sir Ewen wrote:Maligning the iPhone is a bit out of bounds, but I take your point.

Indeed with 50% actually possessing and iPhone and one who wants one so badly it can be difficult to live with her sometimes ( :wink: ), the iPhone's have the votes - no filibuster needed! :D

Dave pinged the others - no signs of life. Megan I know is off to MT for the next week, but I still would have thought Teddy might have a word or two to say about his fate. Perhaps his recent victory over the grave has made him cavalier ...
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Postby Imarë » Fri Apr 30, 2010 3:09 pm

I was not maligning iPhones in general, just Van's. It seems to roll high on the die generator every time (so I suppose that would be the app rather than the device). Other than this lamentable tendency, the iPhone seems great.
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Postby Lord Ewen » Fri Apr 30, 2010 3:39 pm

Well the happy news is that, long term, there is a plan for dealing with this. See, just like in Matt's case, Dianne has developed iPhone envy, but is content not to pull the trigger just yet. She tells me we can wait until the 4G is released, let me get that, and then hand the 3GS down to her. Nice! Now I'm fairly certain Steve Jobs is planning to improve random number generation in the next iPhone, so all I have to do is hang in there wee bit longer... 8)
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Postby Matt » Fri Apr 30, 2010 4:27 pm

Kudos to Dianne. We seem to be on the opposite tack - Cheryl gets a 3GS, I keep the 3G. :(
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Postby Lord Ewen » Sun May 02, 2010 10:25 am

Well, I suppose we must keep the ladies happy. :wink:

Perhaps we have reached a dead end on this thread? Shame, as I don't expect the GM will grant a breakfast meeting at the outset of the session...

Are we taking as a given that Sir Ewen's riposte to Earl Caldeth shall be my initial impulse, which was, "Which daughter have you misplaced, my lord?". Delivered a bit acerbically?
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Postby Imarë » Sun May 02, 2010 2:43 pm

I was going to put forward that you plant a suggestion that the Earl calm down. This might take off some of the tension in the situation.

Your idea, while emotionally satisfying, would seem to me to exacerbate the situation.

I will try sending out another that will suggest that you are thinking of offering up Sir BAris as a target unless he comes into the discussion.
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Postby Lord Ewen » Sun May 02, 2010 3:39 pm

Something along the lines of, "I don't know, my lord, but I thing Baris here stashed her somewhere." :twisted:
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Postby Matt » Sun May 02, 2010 4:48 pm

Sir Ewen wrote:Something along the lines of, "I don't know, my lord, but I thing Baris here stashed her somewhere." :twisted:

Could deflect attention briefly.

On the suggestion front, I'm not sure Ewen is adept enough to 'calm him down' that way.
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