Burghers of Frye

[Billy5545]

Issue:
Yes, it will be hugely beneficial to the people

Actions:
Expand into a major sector after seeing how the progress in the two businesses are pretty minor. Elforche will make construction their third major industry, seeing how wood is still mainly used, and how their crafting expertise will help in construction too, as well as experience from aiding the Asurans. Elforche will do it by searching for people who request help in building and willing to pay money for the help, searching a maximum of three requests to start with in Frye and Shaake.

Try to acquire a new mine. It won't be in Frye however, but one of the three known villages. Try to find out about the natural resources of those villages, the earthen ones to be more specific so a new mine can be built, or an abandoned mine that is not owned by anyone so the Elforche can buy it, as well as fix it so it won't collapse.

Speed up the growth and recovery of the forest after the arson long ago by tending to it, as well as fertilizing it. Elforche will also ask for Lew's help in it, as they deal with nature.

Secretly spy on the Ferrans across Frye. It will be done by having Elforche family members who are skilled in subterfuge disguise themselves as normal people and go find any Ferran talks they are doing, eavesdropping on them secretly while not getting caught. They will also take note of any schedules the Ferrans have.

Also expand the crafting sector of the Elforche's business with artistry. Basically, there will be a separate part of the crafting sector where people can request the Elforche for any art according to what they personally want and paying more for it, rather than Elforche making their own design themselves and selling that as they have been doing since the start. Costumers will be able to request up to large sized objects too, like a statue (the height of the David statue IRL for reference)

Go to Traye, Shake, and Doonu again, scouring for more information. However, this time, rather than history, it will be two. The villages' yearly report about last year, so they can use it for economic expansion by knowing what business will be profitable in each villages based on the report, as well as any maps of the region surrounding the three villages, hoping it will uncover more of the area in the kingdom.

Refine the attempt at integrating different materials to furnitures

Showcase the Elforche's craft at the New Year's Festival, as well as refined furniture to make the public accept them better. The Elforche will also again, use the festival as an opportunity to spy on the Ferrans secretly. They will also watch for Amonet secretly, predicting that she and her group will participate in the festival.

Letter to Cisse:
We have found more evidence about the attack in our villa. (The rest of the text after that describes what the Elforche found entirely in last month). We hope this evidence interests you.

[BakedToast]

I’ll give a few more days for Tannell’s actions, and then we’ll be moving on to the next report! (I’m hoping to do The turn report on Monday, which would mean that if I don’t get an action from Tannell by then, it will be assumed they did nothing.)

[Guineapig004]

In short, here are the current Issues that the Elders can vote on this month:

1. Insist on proof of Medical experience to be a doctor, yes or no?

1. Yes, that should help prevent quacks from filling our city.
[----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------]
Actions:
If the law is passed, *encourage* North, to prove his medical expertise that he *certainly* has, that would be required to run a hospital correctly.

Put the museum project on hold.

Ask Lew if they will help us, "grow a certain wild fruit" and swear them to secrecy. Tell only those who need to know.
Tell them they will discuss the payment, next month.

Continue to search for new folktales, have our scholars increase the search radius slightly.

Have one of our delegates go to the festival, to look out for suspicious actions performed by other families.

Alert the village guards about the possibility of the Dark One's return, and tell them where we heard suspicious noises in the forest.

[----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------]
Letter to Cisse:

Greetings Cisse,
The Dark One appears to have returned. When you are next in town, please be wary, for your safety and our's.

(OOC: Sorry for the delay, once again.)

[naturegirl1999]

Lew accepts your offer

[BakedToast]

OOC: Due to busy IRL conditions, I unfortunately was only able to get about 1/2 the turn report done before I have to head off to work. My apologies, and I'll get it up as soon as I can.

[Guineapig004]

OOC: That's perfectly fine. Good luck!

[BakedToast]

And so the first month of the third year has passed us. A time of resolution, of change, a moment of setting the stage for the coming year; and now the actors shall move forth upon the stage, and shall complete the play till the end of its course. What has transpired in the past month? Read on...

The Elders have discussed the Current issues, and their results are recorded here.

1. Insist on proof of Medical experience to be a doctor, yes or no?

Erris: Yes, it will be hugely beneficial to the people.
Natoole: Yes, that should help prevent quacks from filling our city.
Fenris: Yes. I'm disappointed no one thought of this earlier.
Maruki: No, the doctors are not doing major harm, and have tended to many city guard wounds.
Bouhe: Yes.
Loforz: I see the wisdom in this proposal, but the U'debbhaian Church should be exempt.
Final Vote: The vote was almost unanimous, save for Maruki, who may have had ulterior motives from Asura which has ties with the Medicants. The vetting will commence in the upcoming month, and a report of the vetting shall be given next month. Those who cannot persuade the Village Elders of their medical expertise will be barred from practicing medicine, and will be punished if they do so anyway.

Cisse, our Bailiff, has read the letters of the powerful families and has responded accordingly.

Lew: [No Letter Was Written]


Tannell: Greetings Cisse, The Dark One appears to have returned. When you are next in town, please be wary, for your safety and ours.


Ferran: Ferran continues to prosper and we now look to expand into more markets. We've been working to establish a mercenary company, but there's certainly no one in Frye up to the task. Is there anyone you might refer us to? Our deepest thanks, and of course this company would give very preferential rates to the count.


Asura: [No Letter Was Written]


Elforche: We have found more evidence about the attack in our villa. -Enclosed Evidence- We hope this evidence interests you.


Cisse has decided to send a letter to the Ferran family, informing them that he will require the mercenary company's services himself shortly, provided he gets a [very] preferential rate. He has also dispatched a platoon of county soldiers to aid Frye for the next month in capturing the Black Beast; these soldiers will follow Tannell's orders, wherever they may be.

The powerful families have done much this past month:

Lew: -Cavernous Camping- 90
Lew delegates, armed in worn leather vests and crude staves, camp out inside the cave day and night. The night crew, who was first to arrive, discovers a young urchin girl tied to a crude chair in the cave, emaciated and half-starved. The cave also contains a simple bed, and an empty jewelry box. The night is uneventful, and the night crew unties the girl and takes her home with them, but not before she warns them of a hooded figure wearing a bandanna about his face who is not what he seems, and who returns every few days during broad daylight to torment her and others he has captured. That very morning, the day crew heads out, armed more heavily due to the girl's warnings, and waits through the day. Just after noon, footsteps are heard approaching the cave, and the delegates hide themselves from view as best they can. Amialal, wearing his default black hooded robe with red trim enters the cave, and, seeing the empty chair, lets out a fury-filled roar or frustration and despair. The Lew delegates charge, swinging their staves at him, knocking him off balance. Amialal fights back viciously, appearing to have superhuman strength as he slams one of the fighters halfway across the cave with a deft swing of one arm. Then his hood and bandanna fall off during the chaos, and everyone recoils in shock as Amialal's true appearance is revealed: A Black Beast, his purple eyes glowing with rage. His long claws extend and his mouth-tentacles unfurl, and he fights with a new vengeance, disemboweling a Lew delegate on his very next strike. Then Amialal, the Black Beast, relents, and speaks to his adversaries in a guttural tone. "I do not wish to harm you any further, but I will defend myself if I must. I cannot help what I am, and thus I must live this way. Tell no man of my true nature, and you shall gain a great and powerful ally. But persist in this madness of yours, and I will slay you all." With this, the Lew delegates rush back to Frye, leaving their wounded to their fate, to inform the Lew family. What Lew does with this information is up to them.

Lew: -Hospital Construction- 15
Unfortunately, Lew farmers and herbalists prove to be very incapable by comparison to hired builders, and they cause a partial collapse of the building and several injuries, setting progress back, and costing Lew valuable resources. Perhaps hired builders would do a better job.

Lew: -Mace's Misfortune- 68
Krampt accepts the agreed-upon fee for information to inform Lew investigators that now that Mace is gone, the people have dared to speak about him more. Apparently, he was once a member of nobility in Traye, but his family fell out of graces and was left penniless and homeless; Mace was sent away as he was an extra mouth to feed, and he turned to a life of crime, using his nobility-gained martial experience with a morning-star to great effect. These are the rumors, anyway. No one speculates about where he could have gone, as he is basically a handless beggar now and they don't care about him anymore.

Lew: -Follow the Morningstar- 63
The inquiries in Donu and Shaake prove fruitless, but the investigators do hear some new about a handless beggar arriving in Traye; although he hasn't been seen for some time.

Lew: -Local Foraging- 14
Unfortunately, while previously known plant species abound, nothing new is discovered during this foray by Lew.

Lew: -Liefe's Interrogation- (No Roll Required, only an Explanation)
[As a powerful family, you can only control your members so far as they are able to be commanded. Liefe is in the custody of another power, and thus cannot be directly controlled; from here on out, you can only hope for the best, as Northe can be... very persuasive to get information. That, or you can resort to any number of infinitely creative and viable solutions...]

Ferran: -My Mine- 85
Ferran-hired workers manage to clear rubble from all of the mine, and have installed safe structural supports in 95% of he cleared areas. The mine is safe to be used once more to extract the valuables the earth has to offer, into the hands of Ferran. However, some of the workers have reported a strange cavern deep in one of the mineshafts, that ends in a large cavern with a most conspicuous stone-henge structure within. Further investigation may be needed to deal with this new discovery...

Ferran: -Hired Help- 40
While Luge and his gang are willing to take payment for actions, Luge insists that the gang retain autonomy such that they do not become Ferran's errand boys. They agree to work for Ferran for pay, but only if Ferran's job requests remain within reason.

Ferran: -Seer's Sight- 16
The seer sits down with several members of the Ferran family and tries to explain her gifts, but the odd poems and metaphors she speaks in baffle and irritate the other participants, and they fail to learn anything of value. As per the prior agreement, the seer prepares to depart for her home, but not before she will attend the private teaching of Ferran's "gifted" adolescent, Nola.

Ferran: -Magician Training- 55
The Bard and the Wanderer work together to develop their skills. Soon, the Bard can lull asleep even the most alert of hearers with his "Magical Lute" after a few hours, and the Wanderer has become able to transform entire kegs of water into wine, although it does taste a bit... bland; he has also mastered the ability to make cooked meat become raw.

Ferran: -Nola's Nuance- 92
Nola has taken quite well to the Bard and the Wanderer, and has successfully learned to mime their abilities, although she struggles mildly to imitate the Bard's ability with her flute, due to her not having a mastery in any instrument. Nola has learned much from the Seer, and has begun to make prediction of the future; they seem to be grounded upon some reality, and one of them has come true as predicted.

Ferran: -Founding the Steel Company- 23
While the idea holds water, Ferran has trouble coming up with the manpower to manage an effective mercenary company. Most of the Ferran guards are uncomfortable with the idea of fighting elsewhere, and lack the resourcefulness to be put in positions other than guard duty. A few members of Asura's mercenary company join The Steel Company, and all the members are well equipped, but their numbers are far too few to focus any effort externally without weakening the protection of Ferran properties.

Ferran: -Vicious Veteran- 31
A former barracks master from Traye, Bariyye, is willing to take up the task, but it becomes clear to his Ferran superiors quite quickly why Bariyye is a "former" barracks master; his ineffective training methods and leadership have weakened morale and caused disunity and confusion among the ranks of The Steel Company.

Ferran: -Beast Slayer- 20
Since Bariyye is focused so heavily on "training" his men, an alternate monster hunter is searched for. A young weakling of a peasant boy from Donu, Quinlett, insists that he is capable of defeating the Black Beast, if they will only give him a chance and a [very] large sum of money up-front to do it. He is quickly defeated in trial combat by a mediocre Ferran guard, but he insists that he is more skilled in making traps than fighting, if Ferran will give him a chance, and pay him up-front for the deed.

Elforche: -Niche Construction- 22
Unfortunately, Elforche delegates have trouble getting business due to the number of other construction endeavors already in progress, while Shaake is far too poor to invest in any major construction.

Elforche: -Mine Scouting- 10
The Bailiffs of Shaake and Donu do not take kindly to a family of Frye attempting to encroach on their lands, and they warn Elforche not to meddle in their business again. Count Ashet is even more irritated by Elforche's prodding into Traye's natural resources, and has several of the Elforche delegates sent to investigate arrested and locked in the Traye jail, until a fine is paid. He also warns Elforche not to meddle beyond their league.

Elforche: -Arbor Tending- 36
The trees don't seem to grow any faster from the fertilizer and the care, but it has only been one month, and trees take many years to grow to their full height...

Elforche: -Sneaky Snooping- 99
Elforche spies have learned a lot, and have been very effective, as well as undetected in their endeavors. They have learned that Ferran has completed the repairs on the mine; that Ferran's Mercenary company attempts have not gone on too well; that Arson Man's escape was planned; that Ferran has hired Luge and his gang; that Ferran's Quarry and Masonry businesses are doing quite well; that Nola is conceding to her incarceration and is cooperating with the Ferran family; that Arson Man is not a member of the Ferran family, but rather was hired and trained by them; that they are responsible for burning Casthor alive more than a year ago; that Ferran intentionally misled Cisse into supplying men for an attack on the Elforche villa specifically to free Arson Man.

Elforche: -Artful Artistry- 9
The people of Frye are not very artistically minded, and thus never have any special requests for Elforche to manufacture for them; in fact, the idea that Elforche is demanding its customers to describe what they want before it has been made is seen as appalling by the simple-minded commoners of Frye, and business drops sharply. Elforche's reputation with the common populace drops.

Elforche: -Data Mining- 99
Elforche investigators recover some very valuable information by snooping about the archives of Shaake, Donu, and Traye, as well as purchasing several maps. Shaake, while a poorer village, has a burgeoning young craftsman business that Elforche owns, and demand for hand-crafted works has gone up as people have begun to appreciate wooden crafts and trinkets more in Shaake. Shaake also has no mine, and currently has to buy its stone and metals from Kryne in Frye and and other sellers in Donu. Donu has a mine, but it is used almost solely for the mining of iron and coal, both of which are quickly sold to Shaake and Traye, and there is a demand for fine goods in Donu, due to the wealth the Donu mine has generated. Fine wines, ales, and exquisite foods are also in demand in Donu. Traye, being a larger town with a well-developed economic system, is stable and does not have major demands, other than the constant need for more troops for the Count's private army, which he seems to be growing and filling out for some reason. Maps of the region reveal the river near Frye leading to the open ocean; Frye, Shaake, Donu, and Traye are all part of the Traye County. Adjacent to the Traye County in the Denir Duchy, are both the Napke and Saus Counties, each with several villages, although very little is portrayed about them on the maps.

Elforche: -Multigrain Sofas- 57
Elforche craftsman have become more proficient at integrating gemstones, masonry, and metals into their furniture; however, they are running quite short on these materials, and will need to find a reliable source for them if they are to continue this new fashion.

Tannell: -Northe's Challenge- 98
The law has been passed, and Tannell publicly calls Northe to step forth and accept the challenge in the town square one sunny spring day; Northe accepts the challenge, but before he begins, he reminds everyone that he is not even a doctor he is the Slayer of the Dark God, and the founder of the Medicants, but not directly a doctor himself. He then makes an announcement that he knows that the Dark God is attempting to make a return, and that anyone who has nightmares should step forward. Several people do, and Northe shows his Medical expertise by curing them, having them immersed in near-boiling water for about a minute. Northe promises that they will be cured of their nightmares. The villagers are satisfied that Northe has proven his Medical expertise, although the Tannell observers are skeptical. Northe then takes advantage of this public event to step up to the town square and make a statement while everyone is present; the crowd listens in rapt attention. Norhe then claims he knows, through an informant, of a powerful family which is in cohorts with the Dark God itself! The family of Lew, who is responsible for bringing the nightmares, and with them, the Dark God, upon Frye! The people panic, and several Lew family members on the scene are mobbed by the angry crowd, severely beaten before they can make their escape. Northe orders the village Guards to do their duty, and arrest the seditious Lew family; the guard refuses however, until they can have more evidence. Lew's reputation with the general populace drops sharply, and Northe's reputation increases.

Tannell: -Grow Op- 72(Result Affected by Lew)
In one of Tannell's inventing yards, a rudimentary structure is erected to house the mysterious wild plants, and with help from Lew herbalists, the crop is secretly grown. So far, only small sprouts have come up, but the plants seem to be healthy, according to Lew specialists. Thankfully, no commoner has the audacity to spy on or enter Tannell's private yards, and thus the project has not been discovered.

Tannell: -Folktale Foraging- 35
Most of the tales and myths Tannell investigators come across are clearly poppycock; like the idea of the sky being ripped open long ago, allowing bright light to shine through for fifteen years; the thought of an ancient bird-cat-man who slew over ten-thousand men with a spear; the concept of humanity's first real empire being led by a monster; these and other bizarre ancient tales are heard, but they are too unclear and contradictory to be articulated.

Tannell: -Dark Warnings- 82
The Village Guards take Tannell's warning seriously, especially the location of the noises, and begin increased patrols on that side of the village, just to ensure that if the Black Beast does return to Frye, they will be ready to defeat it. They thank Tannell for the intelligence, and Tannell's reputation with the village guard increases.


New Year's Festival [Event] (Elforche: -Showcasing Crafts- 77, Elforche: -Spying Secretly- 62, Tannell: -Observing- 15)

The New Year's Festival went off without a hitch. Everyone from Frye gathered in the town square in raucous celebration, and many people indulged on exquisite foodstuffs and crafts sold by the Merchants; Elforche's furniture and smaller crafts garner a lot of attention from the revelers, and they make a fair amount of sales at the event, as well as potential future customers. This will aid their business nicely. Members from all the families are there, speaking to each other and to commoners alike; Lew's presence at the festival draws nervous looks from some commoners, who believe Northe's statements made just a few days before. Ferran nobility are present as well, and and Elforche eavesdropper overhears a conversation about a "Bard and a Wanderer", living at the Ferran estate, that will prove useful to Ferran's endeavors. Northe and the Medicants also attend the festival, and Northe makes short speeches to small groups of commoners, after which they cheer, which rouses the entire crowd to cheer in celebration of the new year, after which the commoners Northe spoke to eagerly write their law proposal and put it in the suggestion box. Tannell informants observe the other families at the festival, but cannot pick out anything of note, other than that Elforche has nice furniture for sale. After celebrating late into the night, everyone went home, carrying their purchased trinkets, half-staggering drunkenly from too much mead. The law proposal box was full to bursting by the end of the night, and the Elders were to count and see what the most common suggestion was.

New Issues:

[None of the families have put forward a law proposal. Remember that you can do this!]

1. Commoner Law- The most popular Law proposal from the New Year's Festival was that the Village Elders should enforce businesses and other employing groups to greatly increase the pay of their labourers, so that the general populace can be wealthier.

2. Commoner Law- The second most popular Law proposal from the New Year's Festival was that the Village Elders, along with Cisse, should mount a full investigation on the operations of the Lew family, due to rumors of them summoning the Dark god to attack Frye, and thus they cannot be trusted.

3. Loforz, the U'debbhaian representative, proposes to end the law of cycling out religious representatives, and to leave him on the Village Elders instead of replacing him with a Dabalian this month. Loforz warns that U'debbha is a powerful god, and not to be trifled with; the Village Elders risk the ire of the U'debbhaian Church if they refuse this proposal.

Notable Events:

1. Kryne, owner of the Western Mines, has begun to expand his sphere of influence by opening an as-yet unseen business in Frye; Kryne is opening a Brothel, and is currently looking for construction contracts to build a fancy building near the main gate of Frye to attract newcomers as well as commoners in Frye. A brothel may be a great place to obtain gossip and create rumors, but it could also corrupt the lives of those in Frye.

2. This is the last month that the U'debbhaian Church will have a representative on the Village Elders. Then, as per the law, a Dabalian representative shall take their place on the Council. A law has been proposed to undo this law, so it might not occur.

3. The School of Frye currently has teachers in all cirriculums. However, the History teacher, Amialal, has been missing for almost a week. No one knows where he has gone.

4. The Chayrus cult presence in Frye is slowly growing, with the cult members actively looking to recruit disgruntled townsfolk from Dabalian and U'debbhaian religions; they have difficulty explaining away Armanus' prophecy about Frye being destroyed, and thus the subject is often blown off. One of the lead teachers, a man named Esau, has taken possession of Armanus' house, and continues to run sermons and other cult events in the basement temple of the place.

5. Northe has begun to lead processions in the streets of Frye with disgruntled and angry commoners, who shout in protest against Lew, the powerful Families, and the Village Elders in general. They are telling others in Frye that the village is improperly run, and that the Church of Northe should be more properly empowered to fully represent what the people really need, as it is Northe who is a man of the people, not the Village Elders. So far, no violence has broken out.

6. Anyone working as a doctor must appear before the Village Elders to prove their Medical expertise. A report shall be given next month on who has passed and who has failed the examinations.

In short, here are the current Issues that the Elders can vote on this month:

1. Enforce higher pay for labourers?

2. Full investigation of Lew's operations?

3. Remove the law of religious representative cycling?

And so, we approach the second month. The air begins to warm, and spring shall be in full swing. The perfect opportunity for manipulating the cogs and wheels of destiny for one's own purposes. We shall see what shall unfold...

[naturegirl1999]

1. Enforce higher pay for labourers?
Yes. This will encourage more workers and boost the economy

2. Full investigation of Lew's operations?
No. When has Northe done anything but spread fear?

3. Remove the law of religious representative cycling?
No. The whole point of the law is to ensure that no religion gains more power than any other

Events:
Some members of Lew secretly head to Amialal about the increased patrol in Frye, and about the Medicants, and advise him to lay low for a while

See if any of the known plants can be used for things previously unthought of, Ingredients for herbs? New food items? Weaving? ect.

Head to Shaake and Donu to see if anyone would like to work on a building, offer high amounts of money to those who accept and don't tell others

Try to have some members sneak into the protests, sowing doubt about Northe's claims.

Try to hide the Shuldri so that if we are investigated, they won't find them.

Have some Lew members head to Traye to try and find Mace, and try to figure out whether he'd not do crime if given a job.

Letter to Cisse
How is the investigation into Ferran? Did you find any new evidence? We just want.to know whether our work is even being used. We've been through a lot to learn what we learned. We hope it was all worth it.

Sincerely
Lew

[Tiberius]

1. No, they're paid enough as is
2. If the people want it, then sure
3. I abstain, Ferrans never come out well when we touch religion

Conspire with Kryne to fix metal prices
Start up the mine, but keep miners away from the Special Cavern Mine Shaft
Investigate Subterranean Stone Henge, Have Nola and the wanderer take a look
Have the Bard attempt to drum up interest in gallivanting across the world to recruit to the Company, (and if the pay raise fails then also focus on the great pay mercenaries receive)
Send someone out to the neighbouring villages promising land(shorter tours granting land to farm, longer tours granting more land to watch other people farm), adventure and good pay for those who join the Steel Company.
Send someone to the Duke's capital to look for a Retired Knight Commander or the like to replace Barriyye
Give Barriyye a lateral promotion to beast hunter. Worst case he dies horribly and we lose nothing of value.
Focus construction efforts on a building to house the Steel Company
Request land from the council to be owned by Ferran, with the understanding that Ferran will clear it and make it productive. (To give to mercenaries as a pension/reward for their service in the Steel Company in the long term and to make money for us in the short)
Get in contact with Arson Man

To Cisse
Unfortunately, without your advice, we were unable to find an adequate captain for the company. We can hire out what we have but its really not much, until we find someone competent.


If I don't get the steel company up and running there's a good chance Elforte will be my death.

[Billy5545]

(Will get my post somewhere later. Also, just curious, but how is Elforche's financial situation now. Need to determine how much action I can safely get with the amount of money I have)