War for the Crown Gameplay Part 2

"I spent some time on the border in Whitemarch, I'm familiar," Nicolaus nods. "It was not my favourite posting, no offense to you or your family."

"None taken," Sarina says. "Living in Whitemarch was not my favorite either, which certainly helped to bring me out this way."

Tabling that discussion, Baron Okerra guides around the citadel to a yard in the back, where several training dummies and targets are set up and older, blunted weapons sit on racks. A couple guardsmen are lightly sparring with spears, but they both stop and salute the baron as he approaches before he waves them down. "This is my training yard, also known as my daughter's favourite room in the house," Nicolaus jokes. "The few times I've hosted larger groups, I've also converted it into a dueling ground."

Moving inside, the opening hall past the heavy oaken doors is lined with trophies and accolades, the head of a troll being mounted most prominently high on the wall. The baron passes through here quickly into a sitting room with simple but comfortable dark leather furniture placed in a semicircle around a stone fireplace. Above the fireplace rests a nearly to-scale portrait of a young Nicolaus in a well-fitting military uniform, his beard completely shaven, hair lacking its grey flecks. His lips are curled into a small smile, and his arm's around a beautiful dark-skinned half-elf with long, braided hair, an angular face, and striking green eyes. In her arms is cradled a baby with a huge smile, arms reaching up towards her chin. "Please, take a seat," the baron invites his guests, extending his hands to the furniture while he makes his way over to an old, worn rocking chair.

As the group seats themselves, Adelaide's eyes linger on the portrait. "She's lovely," she comments softly, unsure if this is a sore subject and deciding that was benign enough.

Baron Okerra offers a small smile, nodding slowly. "She was. Her name was Nirvenna, we had that portrait done right after Selli was born and I was given two months' leave."

"How did the two of you meet?" Sarina asks.

"Our parents were friends," Nicolaus replies. "Mostly the normal way, in truth. They introduced us because they thought we might be a good match. They were right."

"That sounds awful lovely," Corey says, a goofy grin on his face. "When did ya know she was the one?"

"Oh," Baron Okerra closes his eyes, his smile widening. "It must have been when she heard me make some stupid comment about women in the army - views that I've grown out of - and gave me a thorough tongue-lashing for it. She made me a better person whenever my boneheadedness got the better of me."

"My thanks to her then," Momo mulls aloud. "It's thanks to women like her that we're moving forward as a people."

"And women like you four," Nicolaus gestures with an upturned palm towards the group assembled save Corey. "It's my hope that through collective effort we can build a system where Selli has as much opportunity as she would if she were born a boy, and I believe you may be instrumental to that cause." He pauses, smile growing, "I'm no fool, I don't believe any of your ambitions end here in Meratt, overseeing Stachys. Though, on that note, we do have some business to discuss. What sort of project would you like me to send craftsmen and supplies to help with?"

After some brief conferring among her peers, Josie eventually turns toward Nicolaus and replies, "I think finishing the pump house would be most beneficial. It needs labor to run right now, and the canals are still closed to us."

"I can arrange that. I will aim to have a crew ready with the needed supplies in three days. It helps Pensaris as well to have Stachys's trade improve, more prosperous neighbours means better markets for us to sell fish in, and a wider array of sources to buy what we need," Baron Okerra replies with a broad smile and a nod.

With a respectful nod, Josie says, "We appreciate the help very much, Nicolaus. The villagers of Stachys will appreciate it as well."

Corey, meanwhile, has been browsing the trophies, and stops with a look of awe on his face at the troll. "Hey Nicolaus, what's the story with this? Musta been a hell of a fight."

"That... was the beast who took Nirvenna from us," Baron Okerra explains, speaking in a slow, measured tone. "I received word several days after. She had heard it was terrorizing a village near the edge of our lands, and as she was the steward in my absence, she led a patrol of guardsmen to stop it. They took all the precautions, bringing torches and vials of acid, but it was much more vicious than they had anticipated. As soon as I heard, I made a request directly to High Strategos Pythareus to take a deployment of battle mages and elite soldiers to kill it immediately. It was my last mission before I retired from the army. As prepared as we were, it was still a brutal fight. It had magic items of its own, including a ring of protection I'd given Nirvenna - which Selli now wears - and it had fitted barbed metal coatings over its claws."

”I’m sorry, that seems an awful way to lose someone. My condolences to you and your family,” Momo empathizes, a frown on her face.

"Thank you," Baron Okerra gives Momo a brief, solemn nod. "The other trophies have some happier stories, before I was stationed on the border, I led a group dealing with bandits, monsters, and other threats domestically. It was almost like... an adventuring party, but we exclusively worked on jobs for the military," the baron explains, changing the subject and smiling at those memories.

Adelaide nods and smiles at the subject change, glad Momo beat her to the condolences. "What were your group members like?" she asks.

"It wasn't like a normal group, we were still a military regiment, and I was the CO. There were eight of us, we still stay in touch," Nicolaus explains. "Theran was our medic, a follower of Cayden Cailean and an escaped Chelish slave. He had trouble following orders, but he was also our moral compass. As far as he was concerned, there was no such thing as acceptable losses, and he's the reason that all of us finished that tour alive and mostly unscathed. And on the other end of the spectrum, our diviner, Kalista, was even more orderly than I. Something about being able to learn almost anything one wants, I think, leads people to become intense planners."

Corey pays rapt attention to Okerra's story, stars in his eyes. "What about the others. Ya said there were eight of ya?"

"There was Oskar, he's with the Ulfen Guard now. I've never seen someone be a more imposing presence on a battlefield. When he called a battlecry, the foe often fled in terror without us needing to do a thing, but I've never seen someone better with children either. Selli calls him Uncle Oskar," Okerra replies. "Thalia's a devotee of Abadar, and while we were all committed to ensuring that our country remained stable and prosperous - keeping supply routes bandit-free was a large part of our job - she was particularly devoted to it, and often cited how such disruptions hurt the common people the most. Then there was Octavia, she's now a captain in the army. She was truly inspiring and a fearsome soldier, when she sat astride her horse she was capable of coordinating us all to fight in perfect unison. I wouldn't be surprised if she finishes her career a general. Elidibus was an interesting fellow. Scion of a noble family, but he was disowned when it was discovered his significant magical talent was innate, rather than arising from study. Their loss, I was more than happy to have him. He could turn the tide of a battle immobilizing an entire group of foes. I'm unfortunately not certain what he's up to now, we lost contact a while back. Eritrea was never seen without her pet wolf Canis, though she never referred to him as a pet. The two were almost one person. I remember waking her up for an early patrol once and she actually growled at me! Noyalar, our scout, was an elf who could move in perfect silence. More than a few times we were sure he would be found, but he always got back to us safe with an accurate report. He was an idealist once, thinking that his service would put him in a position to improve conditions for non-humans in the empire, but I think the noble hierarchy broke something in him, and when I last met he was angry and bitter at the entire system and talking about leaving for Andoran," Nicolaus's expression turns a little sad. "I tried to offer what help I could, but he just gave me this sad smile and said 'you're a good man, Nicolaus, but one good man can't change a broken system' and left. I've had that phrase burning in the back of my mind ever since. I don't want to believe that it's true, but... well, the events of the Exaltation Massacre and the political storm since may have proven him right after all."

With a bit of a sad smile, Josie replies, "Perhaps. It is rather hard for a single person to make lasting change unless they're already in power." Her smile then brightens as she continues, "But, I don't think you are the only person hoping for and working towards a better system. And even just having a few people at your side is much more powerful than being alone."

"I don't think so either," Baron Okerra returns the smile. "In any case, those days are behind me. I retired because I can't risk making an orphan of Selli."

Josie nods. "Kids are really good at putting a stop to whatever your plans were before kids."