War for the Crown Gameplay Part 1

"Well, the man they had in mind was as pleasant as could be expected," Sarina mentions. "He was a loyalist, of course, but he did try to be charming, and his gifts were nice. Perhaps if I were born a generation or two ago, I would have married him. But now, when soon, it might be possible for women to hold power themselves, and not have to be beholden to a husband? It was never to be."

"Oh, Ah don't expect everyone ta be good people acourse. Mah daddy always told me, be careful o' the snakes in the grass." Corey pauses a moment in thought. "Course he was also talkin' bout the actual snakes, but he meant other folks too. But if folks don' give me reason ta believe they're wicked, Ah like ta look on the positive. Ya make more friends that way."

The line progresses ponderously, with several others beginning to bemoan the wait, citing their respective levels of importance in relation to noblemen and senators, but to no avail. After roughly an hour of the tiresome affair, a female Vudrani human wearing dreary inspector's garb approaches the five. "You five, come with me. Random inspection." Her tone is curt and to the point, and she gestures towards the Senate steps as the place to follow her to.

Momo nods curtly and walks towards the woman. ”Might I ask what you’re inspecting for? Just so I can help it go along quicker, of course.”

"Unbound weapons so I can bind them, volatile alchemy, poisons, anything that might assist with thievery, and magical aides such as wands or scrolls, which I will have to inspect to check what spell they have prepared," the inspector explains. "Cooperate and make this quick and you will not have to stand in line any longer."

"Well acourse, m'am, s'no trouble at all." Corey takes his glaive off of his back and hands it to the inspector.

Josie nods and leans down to take the peacebound dagger off of her calf. She frowns a bit as she thinks, This definitely isn't a random search, but I can't find a reason to object.

Momo looks to Corey with some amount of disappointment, then nods. ”Seems like a fine deal to me. I’ve a dagger in a boot sheathe, but I bound it myself.” Momo just barely lifts the bottom of her dress to show it to the inspector, and true enough, a black leather sheathe is affixed to her ankle. ”Just in case someone feels like being a bit untowards. That’s all for weapons. I carry no wands or scrolls.”

After gauging the inspector's disposition for herself, then glancing to her companions to make sure none of them have noticed anything off either, Sarina gathers the items the inspector has requested, said items being a pouch filled with various components for spells, a sheathed, bound punching dagger, a small vial of acid, and an empty scroll case.

"Good to know. Incidentally, our mutual friend asked me to do this, they assumed you would rather not waste half the evening in line," the Vudrani inspector explains while binding Corey's weapon and handing it back to him. When she sees Sarina's vial of acid, she adds, "Make sure you keep this out of sight. I know it's not particularly threatening, but it looks like it might be to a less informed eye."

"I only use it as a focus for my spells anyways," Sarina notes, as she puts her things away.

”Good to know,” Adelaide answers in response to the guard’s clarification with a smile. ”My rapier is plainly visible, of course, and while I do have some alchemical substances, none are volatile. I’d be happy to clarify what this vial does, if you need,” and at this she pulls a mixture of some sort out of her belt pouch, ”and the rest of the substances don’t do anything on their own.”

"I recognize a polypurpose panacea when I see one," the inspector replies with a shake of her head. "Everything seems to be in order, you can go on in." With that, she strides off, presumably to inspect others, leaving the steps open for the group to enter the Senate.

The senate building is a grandiose, T-shaped edifice constructed from white marble. Ostentatious columns carved with glorious scenes of the nation’s history surround the building on all sides, while a pronounced flight of precisely 100 stairs ascends to the main entrance. Inside, the entry gallery celebrates Taldor’s abundant military and political glories. Banners and trophies line the halls of the arcade, some displayed openly while others rest behind intricate glass cases, while armor stands and display cases present countless artifacts belonging to great heroes and soldiers. A score of Taldan Phalanx troops stand at attention, acting as both ceremonial honor guards for the senate and guides to some of the military assets on display.



Currently, most people of import are busy with sycophants and other such distractions, but everyone is free to roam about and casually socialize before anything happens.

After going their separate ways, Josie finds High Strategos Pythareus in the arcade itself, chatting with allies and sycophants. She doesn't hear much of import yet, merely Pythareus blustering that the princess's "treasonous" vote would certainly fail.

Adelaide and Sarina both make their way to the Senate floor and find themselves in debates around a variety of issues, from primogeniture to taxes, and while they both perform well, Sarina in particular manages to draw quite a few more notable admirers.

Corey manages to impress some onlookers in the courtyard and particularly the servants caring for the bees with his knowledge and touch with the insects. It seems that many of the nobility present have a passing interest in beekeeping, but no real expertise, so they have a few curious questions for him about the practice.

In the archives, Momo manages to impress the academics with her knowledge of herbalism, and they happily engage with her on other subjects as well. Conversation turns to the construction of the Senate building itself, and one speaks about the immurement of servants within the lower walls of the building.



After about twenty minutes, in the courtyard, Lady Gloriana Morilla, a middle-aged, tall, dark-haired woman in a simple and elegant white dress with gold trim that eschews the layered skirts and heavy jewelry of her peers stands up on a bench and clinks against her glass loudly. Her voice projects through the entire building when she speaks. "If I might have your attention, Princess Eutropia Stavian I would like to say a few words."

With that, Lady Morilla steps down and aside for Princess Eutropia herself to take her place, calling out in a confident and clear tone, "My friends, colleagues, and assorted enemies, it is wonderful to see you all out in your finery beneath the beautiful stars tonight. With any luck, the weather will be the only thing that refuses to change this evening.

“We have all gathered here tonight to honor Master Kalbio of Breezy Creek, a master artisan and true patriot, for his exquisite skill and service to our glorious empire. Master Kalbio demonstrates so eloquently that a heart may be noble regardless of the stature of one’s birth, and while it may be premature, I hope to be the first to congratulate you, sir, on the exaltation you will see tonight and welcome you into the ranks of Taldor’s long-lived aristocracy."

As the princess's speech goes on, Adelaide, Josie, and Corey all spot one of the serving staff break off towards the apiary carrying a strange-looking alchemical bar. Derea's empathic link draws Sarina's attention to it as well.

The princess's speech draws appropriate nods and appreciation, but Adelaide's attention is drawn by the servants and their strange bar. Moving very quietly, she gets closer to identify the bar, and realizes it's a substance designed to agitate bees with a scent. Troubled, she steps back, and murmurs into her badge. "The serving staff seems to be getting ready to agitate the bees," she tells Martella, quietly. "They're taking a substance that does just that right to the apiary."

"Stop them," Martella's voice immediately hisses back through the badge. "Quietly. Just letting them know what it does should be fine. I'll send a message to everyone else to let you handle it." Immediately after, everyone else hears Martella's voice whisper to them from their badge, "Adelaide's handling the situation with the apiary."

Adelaide nods and immediately follows up. "Excuse me," she says to the staff in the most pleasant of tones, smiling. "May I ask why you're bringing that bar into the apiary? It creates a smell that can agitate bees, and I'm sure it would cause quite a problem if near them."

"M'lady?" the staff blinks rapidly, eyes widening in shock. Immediately he draws the wafer further away from the apiary, as though afraid the mere proximity might cause the reaction. "I had no idea, please excuse me m'lady. One of the Phalanx guards asked me to take this to the apiary, I was told it would help soothe them and make them more friendly to the guests."

"Oh dear!" Adelaide exclaims immediately. "I'm pleased I was able to give you warning, then, and I'm terribly sorry to hear you were told the wrong thing." Actually, she's a little intrigued, but this is besides the point for this staff. "No harm done, though, yes?"

"Thank you for letting me know, m'lady," the servant manages a tight, nervous smile. "I will be sure to dispose of this properly. I would tell you what soldier gave me the wafer, but in truth I could not identify them under their armour and helmet. If you please excuse me," With that, he bows deeply to her and, provided Adelaide does not object, scurries off to the servants' area.

Meanwhile, Eutropia's speech continues uninterrupted. "But we gather here to discuss matters of state, as well. And just as the exaltation reminds us that our glorious empire must always look out into the world to refresh the greatness of its leadership, we must all look out into the world around us and see how it has grown. The child-nations our empire birthed—Andoran, Cheliax, Lastwall—have grown strong by examining the great traditions they inherited from our motherland, and embracing those relevant to this new world and discarding those that held them back. So too will we, this very night, examine one of Taldor’s oldest traditions—primogeniture—with eyes wide open, to determine whether it has held us back from the glory and stability our wayward states have found.

“Our obligation tonight is not about one person or one vote in the senate. It is about the nation we love and about ensuring that nation does not fall behind the times. We are the inheritors of mighty Azlant, and I say that we must work together to avoid sharing that old empire’s fate. Taldor endures!”

Applauding politely with the rest as the princess's speech concludes, Adelaide quickly updates Martella on who sent the wafer.

After the princess's speech, Sarina works to spread the rumors that Duke Avernathus gained his position by the sacrifice of his own children for ancient magic, elaborating and embellishing the details so as to get more people talking about it. Wherever possible, she takes care to make people believe that she is not the originator of these rumors, to help Lady Martella's little conspiracy remain more unknown.

Once the speech is over, Corey sets about his mission. Maneuvering through the crowd, he finds Count Zespire in the archives, looking through some books. Since no one's talking to him, Corey approaches, letter in hand. "S'cuse me, Count Zespire? Mah name's Corey Crawford, 'an Ah've gotta letter for ya."

Count Zespire looks up from his tome with a moment of surprise at hearing an obviously rural accent, then he smiles to Corey and accepts the letter. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford," he replies. He opens the letter right there and quickly scans through it before folding it and putting it in his pocket. Then he takes out a sheet of paper and starts writing out a letter of his own, his script neat and precise, "If you'd please wait here for a moment, I'd like you to deliver this letter to Lady Gloriana Morilla once I finish. Where are you from, young man?" he makes small talk as he writes.

Corey's smile brightens. "Oh, Ah'm from Kallen', sir. S'a little farmin' village in the Tandak Plains. Ain't nothin' fancy."

"Is that so? My lands are in Central Tandak, not far from your home at all, and so I have a deep appreciation for our nation's farmers. Without their hard work, our entire country would collapse." He lowers his tone and his smile turns a bit more pointed, "I've long been of the opinion that every young nobleman should spend a year either in the navy fighting the pirates that threaten all our livelihoods or farming. It would give us some perspective on how our nation actually functions."