Post Council

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Post Council

Postby Sir Aeomund » Sat Feb 13, 2016 7:57 pm

Some interesting things have occured. I think a meeting between Curo and Firith is required, and we should wait and see if Balim wants to talk to us. By our agreement we only had to vote with him once and we did. Except for that one time when we didn't.

Regardless, I don't think that we should bring Thilisa into the city. Legal ramifications aside, I think the risk to her person is too great and our long term plans and need for her is greater than who becomes regent.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Matt » Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:56 am

Osel was rather quiet, wasn't he?

There is still the consideration of Thilisa acting for Vemion. She enjoys great respect - if Ewen could strongarm his way on, she probably could too.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Sir Aeomund » Sun Feb 14, 2016 5:42 pm

Not really a question of whether or not she could do it. We are not trying to consolidate or improve the kingdom. Not having Vemion vote helps to promote the chaos. Secondly, until she has her kid we need her alive and well. The powder keg in Tashal now is exactly why we moved her to Ternua in the first place.

Also. I really need to get some atonement done.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Arva » Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:42 am

Just because the GM plays Thilisa doesn't mean that she will even come. She has moved here and there all at Ewen's call...why the hell should she come back to Tashal just because Ewen thinks that she can be illegally voted her father's deputy.
I have no doubt that several letters were sent to Vemion telling him to send a deputy after the council was adjourned.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Matt » Mon Feb 15, 2016 1:07 pm

Kaelyn wrote:Just because the GM plays Thilisa doesn't mean that she will even come.

True, I play them not as I would but as I think they would. Or at least that's the objective ... :?

Kaelyn wrote:She has moved here and there all at Ewen's call...why the hell should she come back to Tashal just because Ewen thinks that she can be illegally voted her father's deputy.

IIRC, last time some Deryni nudging was needed.

Kaelyn wrote:I have no doubt that several letters were sent to Vemion telling him to send a deputy after the council was adjourned.

Letters were definitely sent before - it may even be a Vemion rep or the Earl himself are en route. Whether one or more letters will be sent in the aftermath of the inconclusive meeting of the 20th, it will take some time to get to Minarsas.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Sir Aeomund » Mon Feb 15, 2016 5:55 pm

Unless Vemion was in route he wont be present for the next council meeting, which is tomorrow. If he was en route there would be something on the wall. Possibly there is a deputy or a letter appointing Thilisa that will get there before the meeting, but that is unlikely. Unless this lingers it is unlikely that Vemionshire will be involved.

My advice, Ewen goes to see Orson Firith and Troda Dariune, after writing a letter of deputation for Baris or Aeomund to represent Ternua in case he is detained at any of those locations someone can still legally sit for him at the council.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Goreg » Mon Feb 15, 2016 8:01 pm

I think an important thing to remember is how much this council raised the stakes. Ewen has directly pissed off Balim, and disturbed Curo. The degree of slack which he has been offered thus far is gone. Harabor isn't the only one thinking they should have had him killed. As Tom pointed out Sat, Ewen *needs* to keep some heavy hitters as allies. We have Firith. We can repair things with Curo. The question is how much can be atoned for with Balim.

And we need more security. All the great lords are upping their bodyguards. Ewen needs to as well. I think we can count on some kind of assassination attempt soon.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Matt » Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:44 pm

Hmm, appears I need to update your account Dave.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Sir Aeomund » Tue Feb 16, 2016 12:05 am

Dave,
That's another reason to not bring Thilisa back as well as supporting my argument that Ewen apoint a deputy to the council in case someone tries to detain him. Hell he could write letters that appoint two people to make sure Ternua gets a vote regadrless of his presence. We only have to use the letter if he is detained.

Balim isnt dumb, he knows which way the wind is blowing. If anything he realizes that Ewen is not only good at wet work, but playing the field as well. He wont so easily underestimate him next time. Vemion is out, so within the next 24 hours each faction is going to try and find the weakest link to swing to their side. If anything Balim may approach us with an actual plan this time instead of his weak vote how I vote Tammany Hall approach.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Sir Aeomund » Tue Feb 16, 2016 12:08 am

Also, we now know that Prehil didnt cook up this scheme with Meden by himslef. Orsin by his actions and words is guilty of the conspiracy against the king too.

Shit if we weren't into mayhem I'd say the council vote Firith an Earldom as the next price for a Regent.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Sir Aeomund » Tue Feb 16, 2016 10:14 am

Might also be a good idea to talk to Stimos.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Lord Ewen » Tue Feb 16, 2016 11:21 am

Speaking with Stimos is always helpful, and might provide a vital clue or insight which could prove critical in the council. But I do worry that now is the absolute worst time for Ewen to be seen consorting with the Thardan ambassador. Additionally, the odds of Ewen being followed or spied upon are probably higher just now than they have ever been.

Perhaps Sir Aeomund meeting with Stimos would be a better solution?

Also, circling back around with Rahel about the Two Curos conundrum needs to be done at some point, so possibly sleeping at Hag Hall tonight would allow that while also making Ewen a more difficult target than if he simply returns to Raven Hall. Precautions would need to be put into place to prevent Ewen from being followed and Hag Hall's location being exposed. A circuitous route after careful consideration of the Tashal map, as well as a few stout fellows to intercept and eliminate any tails, should do the trick if this plan is adopted.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Lord Ewen » Tue Feb 16, 2016 11:36 am

Tom makes a good argument against rushing down to Ternua to fetch Thilisa, and I am not sure the logistics would allow for such a scheme and still have Ewen and Thilisa back at Caer Elend by noon of the 21st. Even if she agreed, with or without Deryni nudging, the chore of getting a heavily pregnant and emotionally challenging Thilisa up to Tashal before noon seems impossible, and so would require a second adjournment. This in turn would increase the odds of a Vemion surrogate with an actual writ arriving in time to block her attendance.

Having said all of that, I think the advantages of attempting such a scheme have not been fully explored, so I offer the following food for thought, without necessarily advocating that Thilisa attend...

If we are talking about a single vote regarding a regency, I agree that the justification for Thilisa attending appears limited relative to the risk. However, I see advantages beyond the simple vote. By bringing Thilisa in, Ewen would be effectively seizing the barony of Ternua and then immediately raising the stakes at the table, doubling the size of the Ravinargh contingent and signaling that he is not going to meekly and gratefully slip into some "junior Member from Ternua" role. By having her impose herself and her vote on the council, it feeds the chaos by fueling a potential post hoc argument that the votes cast were invalid, because she didn't possess a proper writ of summons apropos to the Earldom of Vemion. And it provokes Vemion himself to do something other than hunker down in his keep trying to produce an heir to supplant Thilisa, as presumably allowing his disowned daughter to hijack his prerogative would cause sufficient affront to stimulate him back onto the chessboard, either directly or through Ubael. Vemion back on the chessboard poses risks to us, of course, but also amplifies the Kaldoric mayhem in a bracing sort of way.

Of course, the advantage of bringing Thilisa to the council presupposes her voting in tandem with Ewen, which is not to be taken for granted given the lady's strong will. My assumption is that coup of obtaining the barony, as well as the partial restoration of the lady's status which it entails, will facilitate her seeing that there is little to be gained, and much to lose, in splitting our contingent. It is always a mistake to take her for granted, though, and she would certainly want to know what the desired outcome of the council would be.

Mitigating the risk would be the surprise element; an attempt on her life would have to be improvised as it is doubtful that her appearance at the council is expected by anyone. Also, there would of course be some dangerous PCs in her honor guard...
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Re: Post Council

Postby Lord Ewen » Tue Feb 16, 2016 12:21 pm

Regarding Ewen having pissed off a large number of folks, I don't see Meden Curo's relationship being much changed by Ewen suggesting that he get busy squeezing people for votes. Ewen has been instrumental in pushing for a Lord Marshal and having Orsin Firith successfully elected to that position, which was one of the explicit goals of the Firith / Curo faction and peels military control away from any regent Balim might successfully get appointed. Curo tends to be a cold and calculating sort, even in the face of Sir Baris disparaging his father, so I frankly don't see any considerable damage there.

As for Balim, I think it's a mixed bag. He decided to be clever by giving Ewen a writ without his name on it. When you do something like that, you run the risk of the other party to the agreement playing a bit fast and loose with the deal as well. Balim said the matter before the council was the need to appoint a regent. Balim can argue that Ewen agreed to vote with him on the regent matter, but Ewen does not feel bound to follow Balim's lead on a (technically) separate matter brought by Ewen himself before the council, the idea of appointing a Lord Marshall. Balim may be pissed because Ewen has outmaneuvered him so far, but he really has himself to blame. Way back when Ewen won the tournament Balim thought he was effectively tying Ewen up by giving him a manor in return for his help with the Morgathians, keeping him out of trouble with manorial responsibilities, so to speak, but that didn't slow Ewen's roll, to be sure, and I think Balim has been guilty of underestimating Ewen as the situation has escalated at each step. Until now, we have cultivated that propensity, to be sure, and I agree with Dave that any further prospect of further underestimation is certainly over now. The question is, does Balim try to destroy Ewen, or does he try to make this most useful and ambitious of men into a true ally? Up until now, Balim has tried an ineffective middle course, trying to check Ewen at each turn, most recently with the sophistry about no name on the writ and, as Tom points out, failing to disclose a strategy for the council and simply saying vote-as-I-do. I think Balim has to be smart enough to relinquish the middle course now, and must choose to either make Ewen an enemy because he has his nose out of joint regarding the agreement, or take the more intelligent path of trying to enlist Ewen as an actual ally. It is our job to convince him that the latter makes more sense.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Matt » Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:05 pm

Sir Ewen wrote:Way back when Ewen won the tournament Balim thought he was effectively tying Ewen up by giving him a manor in return for his help with the Morgathians, keeping him out of trouble with manorial responsibilities, so to speak, but that didn't slow Ewen's roll, to be sure, and I think Balim has been guilty of underestimating Ewen as the situation has escalated at each step.

If Balim has underestimated Ewen it's likely because he has the wrong goal in mind. What he thinks Ewen wants and what Ewen wants are not the same thing. If Balim does figure that out though, things are apt to change dramatically.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Sir Aeomund » Tue Feb 23, 2016 8:51 am

So Balim opening this up to votes may have unleashed a monster. Control could easily slip away when the nobles have the ability to vote on things.

For instance, in order to get a better understanding of the nature of the decisions to be made maybe the council needs to actually see the king.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Lord Ewen » Tue Feb 23, 2016 3:42 pm

That is a risk he is running, and even more so if and when a non-Balim regent is appointed.

Which brings me to an issue I have been meaning of o raise. My previous impression had been that Balim and the Queen were at odds, probably due to the Prince and differing agendas in the wake of Torasa's death. However, one must reassess after Balim gave his little speech about not wishing to be decisive in nominating himself, and promptly nominated the Queen as regent.

What are we to make of this? His move doesn't make sense if it directly leads to Balim losing control, which Tom points out is a risk whatever the outcome. The most obvious explanation is that Balim sees no risk to this move because he somehow has the Queen over a barrel, and feels he can retain control even if she becomes regent. This may be direct, as in him having some threat to hold over the Queen, or indirect, as in him calculating that the Queen has insufficient allies to spurn Balim after being appointed regent. Either way, Balim appears to have calculated that putting himself forward as regent was a no-go, probably after doing some vote-counting. Unless he has a different angle he is playing? (Could the Queen have him over a barrel?)
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Re: Post Council

Postby Matt » Tue Feb 23, 2016 4:19 pm

It may be that the departure of Prince Brandis, however it came about, changed the variables in the equation.

(Dave, I think I saw you taking down the votes. It might be useful to post those in case there are faction implications from a PC POV.)
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Re: Post Council

Postby Lord Ewen » Tue Feb 23, 2016 8:17 pm

Evil Meden shrewdly suggested that Brandis's life is all but forfeit since his mother assisted in his escape from the castle. Whatever her involvement, she may now feel that the safety of her only remaining child, should he resurface, will depend upon Balim advocating on his behalf. Also, with Brandis gone and the King at death's door, she perhaps calculates she has precious few allies left.

Meanwhile, whatever happens with the remains of the council, we probably need to take some steps to secure the barony. As Tom has indicated, notifying Ternua, promoting Sir Dickon to bailiff, etc. will be necessary at minimum. Are other steps, such as a return to Sir Rohn, necessary? I worry that Sir Ewen as newly minted Baron of Tenua by virtue of the writs of summons, might be seen as extremely low hanging fruit, tempting a more powerful lord to mount an attack (although it is late in the season, with harvest impending, and Harabor's men appear to be occupied elsewhere). I am afraid we have become seriously undermanned given the scope of the holdings we purport to possess. We need to bind those Ternua knights more permanently to us, if possible, as well.

Another thought might be to arrange a hop over to Lord Graver's chamber, on the logic that a Kaldoric barony and keep in our possession now represents an asset that Tharda will want to reinforce. Ewen could push for a few more companies of crack troops, scheduled to arrive with the Salt Route caravan or sooner, to be stashed at Ternua and the other holdings. Given the situation in Kaldor, and our success thus far, it seems a reasonable escalation at this point, no?
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Re: Post Council

Postby Sir Aeomund » Thu Mar 03, 2016 5:52 pm

I agree with the points you raise Van. The only thing I would add is that Balim may have known that the Queen was a poor choice, or more accuretly would not get the backing of a Council vote.

In terms of Ternua Ithink it is in the best military shape it could be and a strong force would be required to move against it, with even an outside chance of success. We hold the holding in force, the most loyal men hold the keep under a loyal man who owes his elevation and new title to Ewen, and a pallisade is being raised. There are few places in Kaldor that are as militarily prepared and safe as Ternua. Legally I think we have a few things to do.

1. Register ownership.
2. Appoint Dickon the Baliff. That will also help him wrangle the knights there. There should probably be a summons to all the vassals to come and renew their oaths, including those who were not mustered. I recommend doing them in groups and not all at once.
3. Write two letter appointing Aeomund and Baris as your representatives at the council so that a 'delay' tactic from the other members wouldnt remove our ability to cast a vote.


Getting more men is never a bad thing. Now that we have Ternua its easier to hide the men that we have as well. Shifting operations to there is the best move. We have the ability to move around but we have a place to secure our assets.

Vemion, through his silence I beleive remains our most dangerous enemy. There is no political position or mental gymnastics that could foreseeably occur that would bring him to support us. He is a dyed in the wool enemy at at this point.
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Re: Post Council

Postby Arva » Fri Mar 04, 2016 8:14 am

Another thought might be to arrange a hop over to Lord Graver's chamber, on the logic that a Kaldoric barony and keep in our possession now represents an asset that Tharda will want to reinforce. Ewen could push for a few more companies of crack troops, scheduled to arrive with the Salt Route caravan or sooner, to be stashed at Ternua and the other holdings. Given the situation in Kaldor, and our success thus far, it seems a reasonable escalation at this point, no?


Yes! I agree with this. It will take time to get those boys here and now we have a place to stash them.
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