War for the Crown Gameplay Part 2

"Say no more, Ah know exactly what she's goin' through," Corey nods. He listens to the rest of the brief before breaking off and heading over to Onora. "Mizz Piscum? Ah'm Corey Crawford, mah friends and Ah're the new stewards of Stachys. S'a pleasure ta make yer acquaintance."

Her information role done for now, Adelaide goes to talk to one of the only familiar faces in the room. "Good evening, Baron Okerra," she greets him with a curtsey and a smile. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

Baron Okerra's stern, bearded face breaks into a warm smile at the sight of Adelaide. "Dame Adelaide, it brings me joy to see you again," he replies with a gallant bow. "I sent a letter to your aunt about your safety a few days ago, but it seems you may have beaten my messenger. It would have been a shame for Taldor to lose as  bright a young mind as yours in that tragedy."

"Mr. Corey Crawford, I think I saw your name on that official document I got sent about you all taking the place over," Onora replies, her tone even, but with a question in her voice at the title "Mr."

”I appreciate your concern for my welfare,” Adelaide answers, genuinely a bit surprised that the baron had asked after her. ”I was simply lucky, truthfully - the badge I wore that evening had magic prepared to take me somewhere safer in the event of danger. Were it not for that...” She shakes her head. ”That night on the whole is still a bit difficult to process, truthfully.” Adelaide looks around the event instead. ”It seems my companions and I have had fortunate timing in our arrival, right as the Tanager Jubilee begins.”

"Yeah, that sounds right. Ah gotta tell ya, it was a surprise ta me too when Ah got told Ah was gonna be responsible fer a whole town," Corey chuckles. "Ah ain't never been responsible fer more than a few horses before."

Okerra nods solemnly at Adelaide’s words, then chuckles as she changes the subject. ”Fortunate? I assumed it was deliberate - it’s a good time of year for people new to the area to introduce themselves.”

”Well, you’ll likely manage better than your noble friends, at least you know what it’s like outside fancy parties and what have you,” Onora points out with a disdainful wave of her hand around the area.

Corey frowns. "Well now Ah don't disagree with ya entirely, but ya might be jumpin' the gun a bit there. Mah friends're all serious folk who'll do right by the job, same as me."

"Well, Ah hope they'll be able ta change yer minds," Corey shrugs. "Words ain't gonna mean much ta ya, Ah'm sure. In the meantime Ah was hopin' ya could give me some pointers. Ya been runnin' the town fer what, ten years now, and it ain't burned down so Ah gotta imagine ya been doin' a mighty fine job. "

”I’d wait till you see Stachys before you say that,” Onora cautions. ”We’re badly short on supplies. There’s loads I would’ve done, but we don’t have the lumber or rope or nails and we sure don’t have the gold to buy them. Can’t get any eggs if you’ve got wolves in the henhouse.”

"Sounds like we got our work cut out fer us," Corey frowns. "That sounds like an awful tough situation, how've ya been managin' it?"

"Working harder than a pup dragging down a stag," Onora sighs. "And being as smart with what we've got as we can, but there isn't much to do about being taxed to death."

"... no Ah meant, like, specifics." Corey rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Ah meant it before, Ah ain't got a clue."

”It can be both,” Adelaide answers, grin a bit cheeky. ”After all, even if taking the opportunity was deliberate, the opportunity being available was fortunate, no?” Her expression shifts to contemplative. ”I am eager to learn more about the county, though, good and bad alike. What do you feel would be most important for a new steward to know?”

”There aren’t much specifics to tell,” Onora insists. ”You’re better off seeing it for yourself. All I’ve been able to do is make sure what we’ve got goes where it’s most desperately needed, but more than anything we need someone with means to give a damn.”

”I suppose that’s true,” Okerra concedes with a low laugh. ”Most important to know is learning how to juggle. Proverbially. Your stewardship will demand most of your attention, and for good reason, but if your neighbours think you’re antisocial it makes life hard, and it’s even worse if Count Lotheed doesn’t like you.”

”I imagine Dame Sarina and Count Lotheed should get along fine, at least, given his preference to arcane scholars,” Adelaide muses, resting her chin on her hand. ”I would also hope in some ways, there being five stewards would help with balancing the work to do. That said, the day to day of the stewardship is what I’m least familiar with right now, so I could be off.”

Okerra rubs his beard with a calloused hand. ”There being more of you certainly helps. The day to day tasks will mostly be addressing issues brought to you by your subjects, be they judgments or community problems. I try to proactively secure my territory as well - relying on the Count to do so is ineffective, I’ve found.”

"Well, Ah guess we'll just have ta figure it out as we go," Corey chuckles. "Ah promise we'll do our best not ta make a mess of it."

”Mmhm?” Adelaide’s tone and expression are curious at the last part of this answer.

"I'd prefer to not speak ill of our host at the moment, but suffice to say that I prefer to ensure that my own lands are well-defended, and given that Baron Telus hasn't been heard from much of late, you may want to do the same," Baron Okerra replies.

"So noted, I'll act accordingly," Adelaide answers, considering. "I very much appreciate your advice, Baron Okerra."

"Of course. If you need anything, please don't be shy to come visit or send a letter," Baron Okerra replies with a smile.

”That would make you better than most, Mr. Crawford,” Onora comments. ”Where are you from?”

"Kallen," Corey says. "S'a little village in the Tandak Plains, got maybe a hundred folks livin' there. Ain't nothin' fancy."

"Not too different from Stachys, then. What'd you do there?" Onora presses, slightly curious, or at least more interested in engaging with Corey than anyone else here.