Now That It Has Hit the Fan...

Plans, operations, and intentions

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Now That It Has Hit the Fan...

Postby Imarë » Sun Oct 03, 2010 12:01 pm

One possibility for the leak of information is Thilisa herself. She seemed to be hanging around for the confrontation almost as if she expected it. Who sent for Sir Baris? I am sure the Earl did not wish extra persons there. She also seemed to revel in her confrontation of her father, wishing to hurt him as much as possible. Camisa seems to be the "daddy's girl" and hurting her would cause pain to the father. A confrontation such as this is bound to hurt the respect that the Earl is striving for at a very public time. I am sure the story will get about rather quickly. Thilisa's comments about the Earl being brave when there is no one to stand up to him also seems suggestive of her not being afraid. She did have her new husband there to prevent a repeat of what caused her mother to be in a coma. I would be anxious to get some feedback from others but will settle for Van...
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Re: Now That It Has Hit the Fan...

Postby Sir Baris » Sun Oct 03, 2010 12:55 pm

The quickest way to find out if Thilisa was responsible for the leak (a definite possibility, given Dave's reasoning above) would be for Sir Ewen to ask her at the beginning of next session. That would be the extent of our planning regarding the possibility it was Thilisa, (as far as I can tell) unless I am missing something?

Regarding other candidates, after the session we discussed briefly the possibility that Thilisa's lady in waiting was responsible for the leak, due to the fact that she looked guilty throughout the whole dinner even before the assassination attempt, which is reason to believe she was not feeling guilty over that.

How should we go about investigating the lady in waiting (assuming we want to)? If she comes with Thilisa, it should be easy enough to get someone in the party to talk to her. However, if she stays in the castle for the wedding, this might be more difficult. Who do we send to talk to her if this is the case?

Sir Ewen is certainly out, because he needs to leave post haste, or get thrown in the dungeon.

Sir Baris is a slight possibility, although him slinking around the castle at this time would certainly be noticed, and he doesn't have much of a connection to the lady, IIRC. (although he is naturally charming, right? :-D) Also, he might get thrown in the dungeon if he hangs around, as well. The Earl doesn't seem to be at his most rational at the moment, and it's not like guilt by association is totally unheard of.

Cekiya would be a possibility because (a) she is already in the castle and (b) she is good at sneaking, and might be able to avoid being taken up by the guards and tossed into the dungeon, or worse. However, Cekiya may lack the necessary social skills and standing to gather this information from the lady in waiting.

Kaelyn might be better for this task, although she is not currently in the castle, is a mere retainer, and is a known associate of Sir Ewen, so she will probably have difficulty getting into the castle.

Imare is another possibility, although she might face the same problems as Kaelyn.
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Postby Matt » Sun Oct 03, 2010 1:21 pm

I wouldn't worry about this angle very much. It will very quickly come out from Lady Elena herself that Kit spied on Thilisa for Karsin the Younger who confronted Elena who spilled the beans to him.

Minarsas is essentially over so the most productive discussions will be what now?
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Postby Cekiya » Sun Oct 03, 2010 3:33 pm

I would agree that Thilisa is certainly not afraid of her father and probably has some ideas up her cloak sleeve. Her dear sweet lil' sister seems to have put a real kink in whatever she already had planned, which may have been to kill off daddy. Is anyone as shocked as I am that they are a conniving, self-serving, powerhouse? :shock:

It goes without saying that we need to make sure that Thelisa doesn't play us, but that we play her. Now Declaen threatened to speak to the King, but I have it on good authority that he can not legally disinherit her, but can make life very difficult.

I would have to say we need to talk more about where the party is going to go.

Here are some topics for discussion:
Where do we want to flee to?
    Tashal: We can get with Rahel on these events
    Ewen's other manors: If there isn't anything to do at the manors, does this just remove us from the action?
Will her plans trump anything we decide here?
    If she does protest about our choice then should we make an attempt to persuade her otherwise? If we do come up with a great plan then I don't think we should let her lead us around.

What errand is Sir Rollard on? (obviously can't answer that here but mind reading should occur)

Other thoughts:
Do we still have the Peoni "Priestess" and her friends on our tail? And why?
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Postby Lord Ewen » Sun Oct 03, 2010 5:03 pm

Wow, you guys have been busy this afternoon, whilst I have been to Il Trovatore. Nice work.

So it appears that we shall be pulling up the tent pegs and leaving Minarsas posthaste, presumably with our retinue and Lady Thilisa's, er, conjoined as it were. Whether Cekiya wishes to loiter at the castle in order to skin the kit-cat and catch up with us later is entirely up to her. :twisted:

I guess Cheryl half-answered my main question at this point, which is: To what extent was Vemion's threat to talk to the king about disinheriting Thilisa blowing smoke? Is that not do-able, period? What if Declaen cooked up a more serious charge against Thilisa than marrying against his will? Are there any circumstances under which Thilisa can be legally bypassed?

If there are, then Ewen and Thilisa need to shore up their claim to the Earldom. In that case, my first question to Thilisa would be what potential allies she might have which she would consider capable of being cultivated in an internecine war against her father? Any of the barons or earls? And while clearly the King will certainly sympathize with Vemion for a number of reasons, I wonder whether the queen might be an amenable ally of some sort, given a certain satisfaction she might take in learning of Thilisa's ilicit wedding...

Anyway, I haven't thought all of this through, but I basically wonder if one direction to take this is to exacerbate the conflict in any way we can. Keep in mind our broader purpose in Kaldor. 8)
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Postby Lord Ewen » Sun Oct 03, 2010 6:00 pm

Just a few more thoughts now that I have dinner in me...

As I said above, I think we need to cultivate a whole new set of allies now that we have moved from the landed knight class to the comital level of the playing field. This is true whether or not we decide to play hardball with Declaen more or less right off the bat, or to wait him out.

As Cheryl indicates, Sir Ewen needs to find out if Thilisa tried to kill, or would be happy to kill, her father. A covert undetected rapport should not be too difficult given the present level of physical intimacy. If she is ready for Declaen to die, which I fully support, by the way, then we need to lay plans. If she would find that abhorent, and somebody else (who?) was behind the dart, then we need to decide if we try to whack the guy without her guessing.

As for the Peonian, we presently believe those are low-level Neph operatives, who will likely continue to tail us. But I do wonder in what way Curo's calculations will be altered (if at all) when the news of Thilisa's marriage reaches him?
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Postby Imarë » Sun Oct 03, 2010 6:22 pm

On the "where to head" question, I would say Tashal. For one, Sir Ewen would be seen as capturing the prize of Thilisa (I would not put it this way in front of her however). Second, it would be an "in your face" type action against her father. I would even suggest a party be given in honor of the marriage. If funds are needed for something like this Imare is willing to provide at least a large portion. Remember, Sir Ewen outdid a number of prominent knights for her hand, rub everybody's face in it.

Remember what Thilisa said about respect even in the face of danger. Going to one of the manors would seem akin to the Earl rushing from the tent in fear. It should also be noted that the manors are really not suitable except for perhaps Verayne (sp?). The three new one's are smaller and have families in residence filling them.

I think we should keep in mind that Sir Ewen's marriage has moves him from obscure knight to social prominence. No longer can he fly under the radar with little notice. I am sure that Thilisa will want to produce a viable heir as quickly as possible so I think Sir Ewen will have to forgo poker night for some time. To quote "Blazing Saddles", "work, work, work".
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Postby Lord Ewen » Sun Oct 03, 2010 6:48 pm

Recall that Thilisa (sp indeed) used to own the three manors mentioned, having I believe stayed there in the past, so I doubt she would find them objectionable. Having said that, I'm not sure I see the point aside from notifying the relevant lowborn and middling types of the new (?) lady, which would seem to be necessary at some point, but not perhaps first on the list.
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Postby Imarë » Sun Oct 03, 2010 8:17 pm

The sp was for the manor name only.

I do not think she would have trouble going to the manors, as Van pointed out they were hers. It is the psychology of going to ground in the boonies that I find objectionable, as if you both had done something wrong. I'm in favor of broadcasting it loud and clear in Tashal. I don't see any need to reside at the manors. If there were to be any problems Sir Ewen has his greatest number of assets in Tashal and trying something there against someone prominent would, to me, seem more difficult. Also, if there is to be the attack as hoped, being in Tashal puts Sir Ewen et al. in the middle of things.
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Postby Matt » Mon Oct 04, 2010 12:25 pm

I might point out that Thilisa (note the spelling), has two dower manors, both of which will return to Vemion immediately. Indeed, the Earl will no doubt have dispatched men to reclaim them already.
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Postby Imarë » Sat Oct 09, 2010 12:06 am

We also might have a better opportunity to communicate with the mages on Sir Ewen's manor now that we know the order they are in. We also have been told by the elf that they are seeking an object. Kaelyn might now send a letter (written in elvish) telling them she is willing to seek this object (I think she needs to do something of the sort if the cryptic comments of the GM were not just rambling). I know the new Mrs. R wishes to become with child as soon as possible but after that. What are thoughts on the matter? I hope kaelyn reads this occasionally since it involves her.
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Postby Matt » Sat Oct 09, 2010 12:17 am

Rambling? Ram-be-ling? RAM-BE-LING? How dare you!

I do not ramble.

That having been said, why do you think the letter needs to be in Sindarin?
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Postby Imarë » Sat Oct 09, 2010 10:53 am

Anyone could write in Harnic. To be in elvish would add to the allure of the message.

To clarify, what was pointed and suitably vague for Kaelyn in session sounds a lot like rambling to the rest of us. If you wanted to be impressive, you would hide behind a curtain that only a Cairn terrier could penetrate.
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Postby Matt » Sat Oct 09, 2010 9:54 pm

Toto was a Cairn Terrier? Who knew - I always thought he was a Yorkshire.

Other than that, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. I mean, unless you're referring to the way I played Melas. An elf, after all, a member of a race who supposedly say yes and no at the same time. If that's the case, then I thank you for the compliment on how I play an elf. :wink:
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Postby Imarë » Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:53 am

That's not it really. When you were talking to Megan you couched the conversation in very vague terms as it was for her character and involved something she had to do. As we don't know what that action is it sounds to me like rambling. There was nothing pejorative in the comment. You were doing this deliberately and with cause. It is also true that I like to tweak you every once in awhile.
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Postby Matt » Mon Oct 11, 2010 10:18 am

Has a decision been made on destination? I believe only two choices have been bruited: Tashal or one of Sir Ewen's manors.

Curious GMs would like to know for prep purposes. :D
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Postby Imarë » Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:59 pm

I believe that I have stated my preference. It is really up tp Sir Ewen, I will follow him even if is not into a forest...
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Postby Imarë » Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:37 pm

I suppose that much of the discussion would be aided if we had some idea of what Sir Ewen's daytime activities will be. Would they be aided or hurt by residence in one place or another.

I would submit that most of the manors are not suitable for long term residence other than the first manor. The others have residents and do not provide enough room for the retinue that now seems to hover around the FKK. The first has an occupant but she is just a baliff, not a knight so this is a possibility. The easiest would be the house in Tashal in my opinion. There are only servants there, though there is limited room for any additional people attached to Lady Ravanargh. I believe additional premises would have to be secured for Imare and others who might be displaced to facilitate a smooth domestic scene for the newlyweds. Perhaps the tenants on the upper floors of Sir Baris' new building could be bought out and this serve as a headquarters away from potentially prying eyes. This would have the negative effect of splitting the party at times. Security in Tashal could not be as tight as that at a manor (see the raid on our first abode) but with the troops now under Sir Ewen's control the threat could be lowered there. Hopefully the Vikings will prove to be susceptible to the influence of Lord Morgan and provide a diversion for the forces of Kaldor so that disorder can reign in the kingdom. If all went well, the fertilizer should be hitting the fan soon. Any thoughts on my ramblings?
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Postby Matt » Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:20 pm

Imarë wrote:The first has an occupant but she is just a baliff, not a knight so this is a possibility.

For the record, Lady Afaewynn is a knight, dubbed proper in her own right.
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Postby Imarë » Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:31 pm

I was referring more toward a long term arrangement like at the other manors. It is not a family tradition and there are no official long term obligations. I am not advocating getting rid of her, just that she could stand the long term problem of a group such as ours better than the other manors could. Nothing derogatory was meant by the comment about her station.
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Postby Matt » Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:35 pm

Not to say that you were.

However, of the four manors, only one, Selepan, is held by a knight in his own right. The other three, despite the fact that the bailiffs are all knights, serve at Sir Ewen's pleasure. Any tradition, encumbrance, promise, etc., is nought in the face of Sir Ewen's fiat.

This is not to say that there might not be repercussions should Sir E decide to alter the existing equilibrium, just that it is within his rights.

Speaking of which, Sir E seems hors de combat.
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Postby Imarë » Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:54 pm

If the forum had sound effects, I would anticipate crickets. I get the impression sometimes that this is a one person show with an attentive audience of one.

While I knew Sir Ewen could sack all but one, he would then have to run them himself or get another bailiff, who would probably take up the same amount of space as those replaced. He would also be unsure of the loyalty (and honesty) of them. Varane seems the only manor with enough space to shoehorn everybody in, abet with some discomfort. This was my thrust, not a bailiff Chinese firedrill.
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Postby Matt » Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:21 pm

I know Van is frustrated by the lack of participation by the others, and as a consequence tends to view the forum as merely a vehicle to telegraph the group's thinking to me. In truth, there's something to that, although I try not to abuse that by tailoring the adventure to your ruminations here. Indeed, I certainly do not do that. (Asking about a destination like Tashal is cricket, changing what I might do in Tashal due to what's posted here is not.)

Unless there's a way to increase the interest/participation, it seems this forum may have run its course. It can still serve as a place for me to post announcements and notes, for you to work through your own ideas, but not, alas, much else. Pity.
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Postby Imarë » Wed Oct 20, 2010 12:08 am

The problem is also that everybody else has a life to live while I try to fill time. I can devote much more time to brooding over possible actions and reactions without the need to fit very much in around it. I will certainly continue to do this, complaining bitterly the whole way.
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Postby Lord Ewen » Tue Oct 26, 2010 5:58 pm

My apologies for the absence. In spite of fully deserving the understandable attribution of my silence to the sulking of a chronic curmudgeon, in fact my laptop has been hors de combat, not me. Long story short, the video card soldered to the motherboard has fried, but for some time it was not apparent that the system could be booted at all. The notes from last session not having been backed up, you can imagine my chagrin. Sure, I could have checked the forum and posted with the iPhone, but between the laptop issue and my parents being admitted to an assisted living facility, I plead real-life distractions. Sorry! :lol:

As for destination, I need to give it some thought, but in all honesty I think going straight to ground in Tashal (or to the manors) is the most uninteresting of solutions, so the few thoughts I've had thus far are on a totally different wavelength than the discussion thus far...
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