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Past Actions


Action by Arcadia(RIP)

(Public Action, OOC Date: Jan. 6, 2020, 11:11 p.m.)

Arcadia is keen to build her house's trade agreements and solidify it's links to the compact.

After speaking to house Halfshav, she decided to utilize the new port at Cascade Springs. She has found a suitable plot of land south of Bonespire, just before the boarder of Whitehold which can be used to create not only a trading post, but also a Shrine to Gild with attached lodgings for those who need to travel to the far North, specifically the knights of solace when they come work in the north.

So, she will do what she can as the new Marquessa-Consort, she will rally support, write plans, add supports as she can. This is a big project and she is going to try to keep it going as fluidly and as quickly as possible.

Rysen invests resources and contributes craftsfolk from the Arterius College in Stormwall to see to the construction of the shrine and outpost. He will also offer incentives for traders to use the roads between Stormwall, Bonespire and Cascade Springs, and contribute guards to protect Crovane assets as well as contribute to the general safety of the outpost and protect visitors to the shrine.

Lord Arik Halfshav is helpful in pointing out where that border between Whitehold claimed lands and Stahlben lands are. Then he is actually helpful in contributing economic favor and labroers to the project ensuring the road is in good repair and the projects are sufficiently staffed to complete in the window of spring and summer.

Etienne is always eager to assist in the creation of new Shrines for Gild wherever they may be erected, trade and civilization are good for business (of Faith). To this end he supplies resources, lovely illustrations of some of the more popular shrine designs gathered from around the compact and an offer to wield any large cutting shears to defeat any opening day ribbons that may threaten entry.

Arcadia's got the Compact side of the equation, and so Volcica will help with the.. shav side. The shaman side, more accurately. She'll be conferring with spirits, making sure that the place chosen is amenable and that local spirits are properly appeased. A new trading post doesn't need angry spirits, after all! She'll help Arcadia with the design details, as well, marrying Compact expectations with Bonespire style.

Marquessa-Consort Arcadia Stahlben has been busy. Working to rally support, write plans, engage others to help - she has called on allies like Lord Arik, and Lord Rysen, the Faith in the form of Archlector Etienne, and of course her own family Lady Volcica to help her. Together, they have increased trade and productivity, and simultaneously built a new Shrine to Gild as part of the settlement of Cascade Springs, a trading outpost recently established. Overall, it's a good thing that increases the economy in Bonespire and makes her look good doing it - she has allies, she has friends, she has the support of family, and she's clearly honoring the Gods. All in all, those looking to Stahlben leadership are pleased with the Marquessa-Consort at the moment.

Action by Aella for Elevating Stormheart

(Public Action, OOC Date: Jan. 6, 2020, 12:43 p.m.)

Stormheart is located in a valley between mountains, carefully tucked for the protection the mountains can afford. These mountains are also quite useful for other purposes, such as increasing the goods with which House Ravenseye has to offer to the fealty they bent the knee to and the Compact as a whole.

Exploring the mountains surrounding Stormheart is Aella's focus as she and volunteers head out to discover the secrets that they might hold. She is specifically looking to increase her County's mining by finding new places where her people are able to find material such as metal to use for ship building and stones to trade for other goods.

While Aella is not an explorer in her own right, she knows her land and will be there as a guide, protecting those who have offer their aide.

Arthen Dayne wasn't surprised that Countess Aella would come to him for something like this - he's a notable explorer after all and a fair enough hand for the wilderlands when exploring goes wrong like it sometimes will - but he was honored to have her ask all the same. While he doesn't know a lot about /mines/ save for the kinds where history has been lost down 'em, he can get a group of folks across the rugged north well enough. Anyway he's convinced there's probably more valuable things hidden out across Stormheart than mines and he's got an eye for that sort of stuff so while he's making sure nobody loses a hand or an eye and probably has to stop Riagnon from putting weird berries in his mouth from time to time he'll also be on the lookout for the rare and unusual.

Volcica isn't exactly a great scout, or a great fighter. She is, however, a pretty great Shaman. She'll focus on the more spiritual side of things, treating with local spirits to help find locations of note for Aella and her House. While she'll try to look for the metal and stones Aella hopes for, Volcica knows that spirits are capricious and alien, and will accept whatever hints they offer without pressing too hard.

Very recently, House Ravenseye came to House Acheron's assistance. House Acheron endeavors to do the same! Lord Riagnon will be escorting a pair of mining surveyors from Aviaron's Peak operations, where iron and steel flow as easily as gold and silver. Hopefully, these miners can contribute some of their expertise Aella's plan!

Riagnon is not an explorer. He IS a Northern knight, very familiar with mountainous terrain and cold climate. This will be fine, this is fine.

Arcadia is a good scout and she knows it. She comes along to aid with the expansion. She's able to look at maps and point out areas which may be of interest and helps move everyone ahead.

While she expects little danger, she does have her crossbow and will use it, if any danger befalls them.

Countess Aella is a vassal and, as such, Kaldur turns out in support of her efforts to improve Stormheart. He lends the weight of Crovane's support to the effort and applies himself to treat with those they encounter to support or make way. He's also got a very fine warhorse, Dumpling, who is worth her weight in diamondplate who may not be descending into any mines, but has a history of stoving cultist skulls while standing guard.

Mika being the explorer she is, enjoys that she is called along to join in. She uses her investigative skills to search for hints of mining indications and other materials that Aella could use to bolster her economy.

Rosalind has just gotten back to the city, but the opportunity arises that she can head home again! Rosalind has always been a pretty perceptive woman, even as a child. She plans to help Aella and the others search the mountains and of course keep them safe. After all, it's her home and she's spent more time outdoors and in said mountains than anyone. Because of that, she's gotten to become pretty good at tracking , being a bit sneaky and such and can tell when there are dangers about.

She will of course have her long bow, just in case something does come up. To protect everyone of course.

Aksel has been asked to come along to help Ravenseye with scouting of locations for mining. The Nygards are a devoted family of miners and at one time Aksel would have taken up that career. So while he certainly remembers some of the things about mining, prospecting is an entirely different story. Still, he has family in Stonedeep that are prospectors who maybe willing to impart some advice to Aksel before he helps Aella on her quest for mining opportunities. Plus he's pretty handy if there are things to get bloodied up.

Baltus has been invited to help Aella in her exploration. Though he's more accustomed to maritime exploration, he's a fair hand in a fight and is willing to be a general helper however the Countess made need to direct him.

The mines in Stormheart are already good, but Aella wants to make them better. So she enlists help, as any sensible Countess would - she's not going to mine all those minerals herself, clearly. Lady Volcica is first - a shaman who speaks with the spirits, hoping to find good places to search for mining locations. Arthen Dayne is also hired on as a notable explorer. Marquessa Arcadia is also an excellent scout, and points out several areas of interest. Lady Mikani, no slouch in the exploration and scouting department herself, also joins.

Aksel Nygard, with his experience of mines and miners (he could have been a miner himself if he'd followed the family tradition, after all), work hard to find just the right spots. Baltus also pitches in, and Lady Rosalind points them at possible locations. Duke-Consort Kaldur grants the aid of Crovane as well, helping his vassal expand and explore - this is his bailiwick, for certain.

Of course, all doesn't go quite as smoothly as everyone might want. The first place they try is all wrong - when the first pick lands, the stone crumbles away softly, and Volcica gets a feeling that this place is not going to be strong enough to build large, safe tunnels for miners. They move on.

The second place they try looks better, and they're starting to build, when there's an odd rumbling. Aksel knows that sound well and shouts for everyone to evacuate. They do, as quickly as possible, but one miner stumbles. It's Lady Rosalind that grabs his hand and pulls him to his feet, urging him to run - and Countess Aella herself who's the last one out, making sure that everyone gets out safely.

But the third mine - the third mine is the right place, and the mine they establish there is strong, and large, and seems to go deeper than the mountain itself. This is going to be a good place to find exactly the thing she's looking for - a solid foundation for an expanded domain.

Success!

Action by Lou

(Public Action, OOC Date: July 30, 2019, 8 a.m.)

Lou brings everyone to the Society of Explorers, and bars the doors against entry for the evening. Only those that are partaking in the ritual will have permission to be in the spacious Explorer's Hall. For those who have not experienced the ritual previously, she has taken extensive amounts of time to talk to them about what's involved, and teach them what's needed to perform their own, and expresses that the ritual is very different for each person, as it is their own vision that's required to make it a success, and then she invites them, and others, to help her with her own ritual.

The thirteen candles are set up around the grand map in the Explorer's hall. Each is placed in a spot where Lou has directly explored before. Everwinter, Eventide Vast,
Lastlight Hold, where Morien's final stand took place, the location of the Battle of Blackwoods where Pena Stormryder asked Petrichor to help against their Sylv'alfar foes, the Isle of Storms, Whitepeak, the beautiful aerie in the mountains where Brass's magical map to help find the dwarves was located, the caves at the Lodge of Petrichor, the not so general location of the Wolfheart Tribe, the blackened ruins of the where the great hold of Eastguard once stood, the general location of the four castles from the Northern Sea Marches, Icefall, where she met and helped rescue 5 live dwarves, the general location of the caves she shared with a pack of wolves for the evening. (OOC: these are locations from @actions and/or @clue 45 - Lou's Travels.)

Once the candles are set up, they are lit at the proper time, and Lou takes the time to meditate over each item, and infuse both herself and her item with her intention. When she's ready, she starts to feed each of the items into the flames, passing her vision and her intention into the fires. As she does, she says the following.

"There may be darkness, but in the darkness there is always light, and where there is light there is always wonder and hope in the world, and in the dream. My wish, my intent, is for the dream to be ever filled with wonder and hope, that people get to experience all of the amazing things I have experienced over the years, from the beauty of the mountains, to the strange wonders of an unknown ocean. To run away form an avalanche, and be able to discover an old people, or new to you people, long thought lost and dead, only to have them revive before your very eyes, having the chance to bring a long thought lost race back into the world. To have passion, and spark of imagination, and to see it grow, and unfold, until you're holding your own tiny clockwork griffon in your own hands - and watching in amazement as it flies around, not once, but three times, before landing at your feet. To experience the fear and worry, but then also the joy and warmth, of sharing a night with a pack of wolves, in an agreed upon truce for a peaceful night of slumber out of the worst storm you've ever experienced. To play, and learn new songs from children of a people long descended from a great people, even if they give you a bit of a scare with one of their games. To always, always want to dream, and explore, and learn something new, and bask in it. For, adventure awaits in everything that we do. Adventure Awaits."

Each of the items she puts to the fire are tiny souvenirs, things that mean only something to Lou, based on her finds from her adventures. Some are more precious than others. A scarf from Viktarkim from their trip to Everwinter, a piece of Mason's shirt from the day they first met when he fell into her encampment while she out exploring, that arrow that was accidentally loosed against Luca when out on patrol, that was meant for an abyssal wolf, a copy of the map she drew of Brass's magical map, a copy of the schematics she made of the clockwork bird she helped make which gave her the other half of the map to find the living dwarves, bits of dried flora she collected from Whitepeak, and a number of other things, until all thirteen pieces are delivered to the flames and burned.

Once that last piece is burned, she whispers again, "Adventure Awaits."

Calaudrin is here to observe and not break anything!

Arcadia is here to watch, learn and support. She will focus on good thoughts on adventures and exploring as guided too and be quiet and still when she needs to be.

Quintin is along to watch the ceremony, participate as needed, and make mental notes for his own ceremony (hopefully).

Having already done his own ritual, Mason is here to support Lou and assist her in adding her own vision to the Dream. Given the theme of adventure and exploration, he will focus his thoughts on the many many adventures he and his wife have gone on together, (and the ones he's only heard about from her). There seems to be no worry or doubt on the man's face, as he fully believes in Lou and supports her. When the time comes for the ritual to be completed, he will also try to meditate and see if he can't witness the culmination of her efforts with Mage Sight.

Amantha will help out as and when asked to as she takes mental notes of the ritual and everything around it.

Cufre is among those who relatively new to the ritual, so she briefed on what was to come and its personal nature. She lends a hand, as needed, during the setup the precedes the ceremony. Once the ritual begins, Cufre's attention is fixed on Lou's countenance and words far more than on the individual offerings.

Lou closes the Society of Explorers for the evening, bringing only those who will witness her ritual to the Explorers' Hall. Still, it's important to her to have this here, and now. Even as she explains what's needed, it's fitting for her, she feels, that she is explaining such a thing in a place that is so very much a part of who she is. Of how she sees the world.

And then she sets up her thirteen candles around the map in the Hall, each one placed in a spot where Lou has directly explored. And in the thirteenth hour on the thirteenth day she lights them, feeding her sacrifices into the flame. As she does, she speaks.

"There may be darkness, but in the darkness there is always light, and where there is light there is always wonder and hope in the world, and in the dream. My wish, my intent, is for the dream to be ever filled with wonder and hope, that people get to experience all of the amazing things I have experienced over the years, from the beauty of the mountains, to the strange wonders of an unknown ocean. To run away form an avalanche, and be able to discover an old people, or new to you people, long thought lost and dead, only to have them revive before your very eyes, having the chance to bring a long thought lost race back into the world. To have passion, and spark of imagination, and to see it grow, and unfold, until you're holding your own tiny clockwork griffon in your own hands - and watching in amazement as it flies around, not once, but three times, before landing at your feet. To experience the fear and worry, but then also the joy and warmth, of sharing a night with a pack of wolves, in an agreed upon truce for a peaceful night of slumber out of the worst storm you've ever experienced. To play, and learn new songs from children of a people long descended from a great people, even if they give you a bit of a scare with one of their games. To always, always want to dream, and explore, and learn something new, and bask in it. For, adventure awaits in everything that we do. Adventure Awaits."

Each of the items she sacrifices are mementos, precious to her for their experience, and her relationship to each one. And as the last piece burns, she whispers again, "Adventure Awaits."

The phrase echoes through the hall. "Adventure awaits, awaits, awaits." The fires flame up, bright as sunlight, and suddenly they are not in the Hall at all, but they are on a mountainous peak, and from the peak they can see all the world spread before them. For a moment, they see not just the world at their feet but the fabric of the Dream itself - the feeling that everything is connected. The thrill of knowing all the threads that have gone into weaving this tapestry, and the thrill of not knowing what will come next. The joy in the adventure, in the story. Tales of love and laughter. Tales of sorrow and betrayal. Adventures of discovery - of the world, of the people within, of oneself. For a moment, they can see it all spread before them and then they are back in the Hall, and the candles gutter out as one. "Adventure awaits," comes the whisper again, though not from Lou's voice this time. "Make it a good one."

Action by Rysen(RIP) for Mourning Isles Strife

(Public Action, OOC Date: June 29, 2019, 11 a.m.)

In order to put an end to raids along the coast of the Northlands, Rysen builds a coalition of allies in order to set a trap for the raiders. The coalition's goal will be to substantially weaken the raiders' forces and allow the allies to interrogate survivors in order to determine who is ultimately behind the attacks with the minimum amount of casualties on both sides.

Command of the fleet will be handed over to Admiral Aethan Kennex, who will lie in wait off of the peninsula of Greywater Bay, a major port town along the Northlands coast. Rysen offers a good bit of coin to Northland sailors and merchants in the region to suggest a particularly lucrative shipment of blackwood lumber, silver and gold from Crovane mines will be stopping in the major Crackneck port on its way to Perlspire on a trade mission, in an attempt to lure the raiders into an attack. Rysen has entrusted the command of the Crackneck and other Northlands soldiers to Princess Marian Redrain, but he will fight on the beach personally, to honor Gloria, protect the Warchief, and prove the valor of Northland's chivalry. If all goes according to plan, signal fires will alert Aethan's fleet at the sight of incoming raiders, who will sweep in from behind their ships, while Marian and Rysen, along with the Northland warriors and their allies hold off the raiders on the coast. Afterwards, the allies will interrogate the highest ranking survivors, in order to determine their affiliations and by whom they were sent.

Princess Marian Redrain will set a trap at the edge of the port town, using a lumber yard to be where the 'prize' is supposed to be stored, close enough to the water with trees before the beaches so some savvy raiders would normally be able to sneak in and out. The boards under the yard have several trap doors where archers can pop up and shoot, not to kill all so they can capture a few. Infantry will surround the building to catch those that flee. If the men make it to the beaches, calvary are set up to catch them. Of course, once the trap is set, an arrow on fire will launch from the beaches so Aethan is signal to cut off their access to their ships.

Aethan is eager to support Redrain in its endeavors to bring peace and stability to its shores, and so will be commanding its naval forces during this maneuver, augmented with some of the Stormward Fleet. He will be coordinating with Lord Rysen and the Warchief Princess Marian beforehand to make sure to carry out their plans, as well as -- as time allows -- meeting with Redrain captains and pairing them with those of the Stormward Fleet to build trust and understanding between them beforehand so they can better coordinate their efforts. He will also be putting Kennex resources toward it to attempt to ensure a successful outcome.

Cillian will be going with Lord Rysen and Princess Marian and a small blackwood group of troops to help fight on the beach, being the sword of Blackwood and Minster of war he will lead his men into battle and put a end to all of this.

Although I am more a sailor and sea captain than fighter I will stand on the beach by the other northeners and battle with them. Raiding cannot be allowed and I will lend my axe to the fight that puts an end to this.

Following the orders of those above her, Aella will assist Aethan as a captain of one of the ships under his command.

Orrin is offering Pearlspire as the juicy destination of these ships, and also allowing any and all coordination and supply of the forces involved in this action at their new port. He will direct that all ships having visited Pearlspire are drafted appropriate documentation to suggest legitimate unrelated trade purposes for their visits. There will also be appropriate documentation and staffing as if a large shipment of lumber and precious metals is to arrive. All of this will be managed through appropriate application of funds, leadership, and favors.

Arcadia does not know the Northlands well, but she does know the Grey Forest and how to shoot from the trees. Leaving Marian and her troops to take the beach, Arcadia and her forces will be hidden in the trees and moving through the edges of the forest collecting any who try to flee or have set up bases or may give a call to let other raiders know of the trap.

They sail from the North.

This was a surprise, as cutting in from the cold waters of the far north near the everwinter is extremely dangerous, and far from a direct path, but it makes sense- the Bay of Thrax and near waters are being patrolled heavily now by Grayson forces in response to the raids, and so the enemy cuts a far path through the arctic waters in order to try to make landfall north of the port town and then sweep down south towards it.

Rysen's plans work. It looks like the lure provided by Orrin proved successful, as the raiders sweep in from the North, with the ships under command of Aethan, Danvir and Aella staying far out of sight ot the south until they pull into Greywater Bay. No flags fly from the ships, no banners display as the raiders make landfall, speaking to a piratical nature or a group of attackers that has no intention of divulging their alliegence. The raiders are more numerous than might be expected- several hundred, and they approach on the port town with every intention of burning it and putting everyone there to the sword.

Princess Marian waits until they are at a precise point on the beaches- too far from their skiffs to escape into the water, but with wide open area for cavalry to ride right over the raiders. Marian's cavalry charge, supported by Arcadia's hidden archers and Cillian's blackwood troops stopping their advance catches the enemy in a disastrous position, and they are cut to pieces, immediately put to rout. A handful survive to surrender, and reveal they are Undrowned Sons mercenaries, hired anonymously out of Port Defiance.

On the water, their ships turn to flee and are confronted by Aethan's ships. By sheer happenstance, gale force winds pick up and capsize a number of the enemy vessels almost right as they turn to engage, and the already outnumbered enemy ships are quickly set ablaze and ultimately sunk.

It's a crushing victory, and there's no more raids on the Northlands.