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Action by Kaldur(RIP) for Rebuilding Redreef

(Public Action, OOC Date: Dec. 27, 2018, 7:07 p.m.)

Some time ago the idea of improving County Pearlspire's infrastructure was seeded. The idea began as a military effort, improving roads to improve troop movements. Which would improve trade. And like the bit of grit that eventually becomes a pearl, the idea has grown and taken shape. And grown some more. Inspired by Lord Michael Bisland, the success of the Empyrean trade route, and encouraged by Marquessa Deepwood, Lord Kaldur has begun shepherding a massive infrastructure project - an overland analog to the Empyrean Route that will set a series of trade roads through Grayson's principalities and farther. /From Stormwall to Ostria and beyond!/ says young Kaldur, with emphasis on 'and beyond.'

When the planning is done and construction begins in earnest, Lord Kaldur is a man who prefers to lead from the front when he can. In County Pearlspire he will work tirelessly alongside the men and women (and horses!) of the Seliki Engineering Corps as they plan and execute the work laid before them. He is a steadying presence with encouragement and focus at setbacks and ready with praise for work well done.

(OOC: Recommended support is 100-200 resources for Baronies and Counties, 200-500 resources for Marches and Duchies; but any and all support is welcome)

As work proceeds all over the Compact, who knows what will be discovered!!

Lady Peri Seliki has a strong relationship with the prominent traders that already flock to Pearlspire's shores and has reached out to those that she tipped off previously to some lucrative opportunities on lumber. She gathers information from them on where the best routes would benefit from roads to add to her brother's efforts and arranges for them to get the word out to others, both to fulfill the gap in transporting materials to the workers and in preparation for the new network.

Considering that some adult supervision will be required, Kalani would be happy to go along and serve as a stand-in for said-adults. Chiefly, if anyone is going to build anything, someone is bound to get hurt in the process. It's a natural outcome of people + tools = broken body parts.


Samantha is wholeheartedly invested in this notion, especially with Old Oak (presumably) being one of the stop points on the road. She'll invest resources into its creation, and encourage the hiring of the March's population for all levels of its creation. She will also look into facilitating the formation of security for the road, and aid in the diplomactic and economic efforts surrounded projecting its cost to create and projection of its maintenance.

As a purveyor of stone, particularly granite and marble, Grazia is going to have stone shipped to the Selikis for Pearlspine. Some of the stone will be used for the very roads it is to be transferred along, but the bulk of it will be sailed along the coast to the actual port city to be used to build the harbor. This is an important trading endeavor, and Grazia expects that due to the long-term nature of the project that it will offer a nice economic boost for her quarries.

Aviaron's Peak rests atop a MOUNTAIN, which means its architects and workers have experience working in... the MOUNTAINS. So Rhea will consult with her stewards to put together a crew of advisors and workers to help with Kaldur's project, lending them valuable experience. Aviaron's Peak will also provide any necessary metal for the project at a discount.

As stewards and protectors on the roads of Arvum, and as followers of Gild who favors trade, civilization and hospitality, the Knights of Solace lend their aid to the project with the promise that it will feature a few Solace waystations and shrines for pilgrimage. Thena offers the Solace soldiers stationed near the proposed route for protection and manpower. She also sends resources and silver for the project. Once complete, the route will be added to the Knights of Solace regular coverage.

Ann believes in Kaldur's efforts for a trade route and signs Stormwall up, understanding that he needs support in many ways to see success in the long run.
*She puts her economic mind to use, saving Kaldur where she can and maximizing profits.
*Pours over paperwork with him to make sure no one is pulling a fast one on him.
*Assigns Crovane's reserves to patrol the route inside Crovane lands.
*Uses her Inquisitorial contacts to make sure no one is sharing the details of the road to those outside of the Compact for their own benefit.

Michael Bisland rounds up maps and engineers who know how to READ said maps to help a vassal in need. Or in want. Since Kaldur doesn't /need/ these roads but he sure does love to talk about it. So much. Just constantly. Leave me alone, I helped!

Grady is following Samantha's lead here, helping smooth the way for increased security and infrastructure between Pearlspire and Old Oak, ideally helping both domains grow stronger and more secure. He talks to people, he negotiates, he encourages the soldiers, and he keeps a careful eye out for any rising arguments, moving to help quell those as swiftly as possible.

Gabriel Bisland is encouraged by the younger generation's drive to see the Compact reach new heights. He adds the weight of the mighty House Bisland to the project. Not only to fund the improvement (or new construction of) roads in Pridehall, but so that the project over all might avoid the danger of dipping into the red.

Giulio will assist in helping those that wish it in building a uniform code / set of agreements to make the best money they can on this.

Stonewood is no stranger to road building, having recently refurbished the road to Pridehall that helped put them on the map. What's not on the map, however, is a great way to cross the river at Stonehearth. So in coordination with this network of roads, Malesh will oversee the creation of a bridge or ferry (whichever is more practical/profitable) crossing the Gray River not far from the docks at Stonehearth.

Recognizing the opportunities for trade and also for his house, Fecundo is lending his diplomatic skills to getting the project moving, working through any of the lands where the road is planned to go. It also doesn't hurt that he'll be able to point to the quality of output from the Gemecitta stone.

Etienne has a vested interest in the pursuit of the expansion of civilization, trade, commerce, and the cause of safe journeys. All of which are accomplished by a well funded and functional transportation system. Etienne will be contributing silver generously provided by the Faith as well as speaking well of the endeavor whenever possible to those that need help convincing. Etienne would indicates the funds are for the builders, and those that support them, soldiers, cooks, and the like. Etienne would also be on hand for cutting any ribbons with hilariously large scissors.

Eddard uses all of his wiles and charm to help speed along permits and coax constructions crews to take on the needed jobs. If Duskshire ends up on the new set of roads, thats not so bad, eh?

Lord Bedivere Whitehawk will be acting on behalf of his dear newphew (Baron Silas Whitehawk) to lead forth Whitehawk soldiers to help out on the road project for Lord Kaldur Seliki. Bedivere himself will be out there as a managerial force to help out every day.
He seeks the help of huntsmen and cartographers in the area to help map the road around mountainous and hilly terrain to connect agricultural communities.
Since gravel and paving is time-consuming and expensive, wood is used in these instances to limit excessive sliding on the steeper side of a hill.
Whitehawk soldiers are deployed to help with security and digging where soil is already worn away, close to the bedrock, so muck will be less of a concern.

While the Volkov Woods is one of the newer areas of the map, and that they may not come anywhere near the proposed current trade route - Ruslan is hopeful that someday, when the trade route starts to create the terciary routes, that the Volkov Woods would be part of this future. As such, he has created a small patrol of 150 troops to be sent to provide security and protection for the crews along the route.

Lady Rey Laveer, as Voice of Laveer and a Mercy has decided that roads are more than needed to connect trade routes, but as a side not would be good for movement of healers to farther reaches of Arx. And has offered her House's support as well as her personal support to the Roads Project.

Given the Twainfort's traditional seat as a trading hub due to its control of the fork of the Mother in the Daughter and Son Rivers, it's simply good sense to see that more and more overland routes from far-flung, land-locked Houses can reach Riven's ports and speed the passage of their goods along its way. Mia will work with a number of her advisors, particularly those most familiar with the landscape and locations throughout her County, and those recently joined Prodigals from surrounding areas of the Gray Forest to find the appropriate blend of transversible but also defensible routes through the woodlands.

In her role as minister of upkeep to Inverno, Mirella will be working on behalf of the house to aid Lord Kaldur's project. Alongside advisors from house Inverno she'll be investigating the safest and most convenient routes for roads to the island city of Caina and any surrounding settlements, as well as figuring out required costs prior to these roads being built. She'll share this research with the Seliki Engineering Corps and assist them in any way that's helpful and beneficial to Inverno and Seliki. She'll also be donating 100 economic resources to the project, representing Inverno's ministry of income rising to the task to provide funds.

Though their home is an out-of-the-way island, the Truesworn are often keen to participate in the broader life of the Compact. A grand project to improve the infrastructure of the coastal trade routes evidently meets with the Truespeaker's approval. Sudara duly brings to bear all the Setarcan know-how and book-learning she can muster, in guiding her people through work to develop Esterhold's internal structure and develop its external trade.

Tenebrae, a warrior above all things, will help in this endeavor by both allocating and commanding soldiers to protect the works, as well as using soldiers as workers on the Isle of Esterhold. They will be learning from the engineers as much as possible, while also ensuring no resources go missing, and protecting lives. This protection also applies to guarding the sea lanes to ensure the transport of resources, skilled craftsmen, and the money to pay them.

The Marquessa of Nilanza is happy to supply as much as we can of the materials and labor required for the stretch of road to be built across the march, if the engineers to see it through can be provided by other means. Then we, House Malespero, can contribute both economic and social resources to the effort, and to all upkeep.

Belladonna has received an invitation to take part on Kaldur's new efforts to build a more cohesive network of roads for commerce. She will be seizing that opportunity and trying to convince other lords, traders, merchants, crafters, etc, to join in with some of their own resources, thus investing much of her Social pull into this. She wants to make Setarco, the whole island, a place of culture and wealth. She will know places to avoid and where the roads should go through.

Lord Sebastian Pravus will be visiting Setarco during January of 1010 as part of some other work. While there, he will talk with local contacts to get an understanding of the breadth and scope of work needed to build roads on the island, as well as the best ideas for placement to assist the engineering corp. Additionally, he will assist the project by spruiking the benefits of a well-built trade road far and wide with his many contacts in Arx and especially within the Pravus lands to drum up additional support and interest in the project and its potential benefits to the local economy.

Following her sister's lead, Celeste is offering her expertise in terms of patrol schedules, strategic importance to areas, most likely to be ambushed here... that kind of thing. She'll further take effort to extol the virtues of this project to important and influential figures in Arx and Setarco.

Mikani helps Kaldur understand the unique location that is Redreef. She gathers funds and encourages the infrastructure project through out her Barony. Mikani addes in economic resources to help with the building of the roads and other paths knowing that anything can be useful.

Baroness Skye Blackshore is a founder of the Empyrean Trade Route. She provides all the mappings where the ships will stop along the way, providing recommendations for fortifications so that goods can be transfered from the ships to the land. Then she will using her mapping skills and knowledge of war to figure out potential ambush points and provide that to people who are going to managing security of this route. She will also use her economic skills to assist Duchess Ann with negotiating better building rates, using her woodworking and infrastructure talents to make sure they get the necessary supplies for building without spending to much.

Dycard is going to help out with the persuading of people that this is a good idea and one that should be supported. After all, roads help farmers get their produce to market as well as letting military forces travel much faster, and that has to be to everyone's benefit come tax-time, right?

Tyde lands are connected both by more traditional roads on Tyde Isle, but more often by more watery roads. Increased trade is good by land, but with goods arriving all the time and boats being a bit more infrequent but with larger cargo capacity than a cart, it is important that there are places to store the goods and efficient places to load and offload. As part of Kaldur's efforts, and to connect this large Grayson road network to the Empyrean and the Isles, Tyde makes land and resource available for the construction of proper warehousing and expanded stone piers to allow for efficient offloading, and offer this same expertise to help build them on the Grayson shores.

Mirk had planned something similar himself, so there's no hesitation when he's offered the chance to connect Whitehold and Cascade Springs to this planned network of roads. As the Minister of Coin for the Halfshavs, he brings some of his House's resources to the table: chiefly stone for the main roads, but also access to scouts with experience finding routes through the mountains. He acts mostly as a diplomat and negotiator, working with others to see to it that those resources are used where they'd be most effective.

Magnus will participate by guiding and assisting in the direction and protection of the roads approach to the Bonespire and surrounding winter wasteland. Utilizing his tactical and martial aptitude he will make himself available to personally advise on any potential known threats or Shav'arvani bands in the area's which they pass through as well as coordinate the protection of all participants with other collaborative members of the team, to include the usage of a detachment of assigned Bone Warden's.

With the building and improving of roads into the far reaches of the Compact, some things might be discovered-- or rediscovered that are best left alone or need a Shaman's expertise to navigate. Volcica will be lending all of her skills to this effort, making sure the spirits remain content in Stahlben's lands and as far out as she can help.

House Ravenseye will happily do their part to be included in a road project to try and make their remote area a little more accessible. Cadern will be sending out missives to Ravenseye and some of their neighbors to avoid any ruffled feathers and ensure things get handled amenably for the usually isolated northerners.

As Voice of Steelhart, Col will invite the trade road to Highhill and provide some military support and strategy as needed to ensure everything is kept safe.

Believing this to be a good endeavor for his house (roads are great for horses), Count Philippe signs up for the project. Alongside his officials, they lay the foundation for dirt paths, making sure to disturb as little as possible of their natural resources by routing the road system through ground that has already been used. Philippe is adamant about raising ranger stations for the Knights of Solace on these roads.

The Rivenshari know other roads, those of the water ways that move through the lands. Which is not a bad thing, they can use that knowledge to help intergrate the two road ways together as well as the roads that will run through Riva. Eshra puts her best minds to this, with the Knights of Solace already having a barracks in Riva and the trade routes that have already been established.

Sasha is gather up 500 economic writs, 500 social writs, and 500 military writs for the roads coming through Giant's Reach. She is also offering to aid with the spreading of the good word of the trade route.

As Marquis of one of the more remote holdings, Gaston is thrilled at the prospect of expanding the Roads and making Cloudspine more accessible. Aside from lending Blackram's political support for the effort, Gaston will also dedicate silver, and military resources to help protect the engineers as they work through expanding into the wilder parts of Arvum.

Cullen will work with his brother-in-law, Lord Alessandro, to make sure that the section of the road that will link Greenhaven to the network (by running along the south bank of the river and establishing a ferry system just west of the fork, ideally with the aid of Rivenshari river captain expertise) will be well-defended during its construction. He will take personal command of a troop of light cavalry and archers. He will also inform any other soldiers, including the engineers, where the safest - and most dangerous - places in the area lie, and how best to fight in the region.

As Minister of Upkeep for Greenmarch, Alessandro is eager to collaborate on a project such as Lord Kaldur has put forth. He will work with the Seliki engineering corps, as well as all other engineers who are assisting, to devise the best route through Greenmarch lands for the roads, perhaps partly running near the river as suggested by his brother-in-law, Lord Cullen, for easier trade with those houses such as Rivenshari and others who are at the forefront of maritime trade. He will also assist with bookkeeping, allocations of funds if necessary, and various economic portions of the endeavor, should it be needed.

The Voice of House Lyonesse takes a personal hand in the great roadworks project, enthusiastic for the potential of growth it can bring to Lyonesse lands and its people. Lady Jenessa temporarily returns to Lyon's Redoubt to assist, providing insight into the geography of the area as well as the best routes for travel. Not only does she oversee the exchange of lumber for proper stones for the road surface, she also plots out the route itself with the Seliki engineers and Lord Kaldur. Furthermore, the Lyonesse offers use of what sailworthy ships they possess to expedite the transport of building materials up and down the river to the surrounding holdings of those involved. Not only is time spent and investments made, but Jenessa further encourages the locals of Lyon's Redoubt to make the experience a memorable one for the visiting engineers and Lord Kaldur himself, throwing a modest but personal banquet for the guests of House Lyonesse and all the workers who put in time and labor.

Reigna had been planning on building roads throughout Oakhaven to stimulate trade and facilitate troop movements throughout the March. Kaldur's plans dovetail perfectly into this plan, and she shifts her focus from just Oakhaven to the surrounding areas as well. She will be contributing resources from wood and stone, to engineers and laborers to help with the construction.

Olivia will draft a plan for House Ashford's particiaption, along with providing some necessary material support. Given her area of expertise, she will prioritize roads in Ashford territory to provide good access to typical regions of agricultural surplus so that these products can be moved to market more quickly without risk of spoilage.

Lilia Telmar offers maps and recommendations for routes through the Temarch, with particular diligence paid to their placement in respect to pre-existing towns and trading routes. She's trying to find that sweet spot between maximum efficiency in road construction and minimum disruption to the people of the land, who might like to use the roads but who don't want to give up their lands. She's tagged a particular river crossing for the establishment of a new bridge, and indicated that it is likely to become the site of a thriving inn catering to travelers.

In an effort to bring more interesting people to Acorn Hill, and support the travel development plan, Tessa is personally funding the construction of an inn in the town of Acorn Hill, with stables enough for larger groups of merchants, mercenaries and travellers that may be passing through. The Golden Dame, as the inn is called, also keeps a very comfortable room always open and free of charge to any musicians or entertainers that are willing to perform for their supper so to speak. The HOPE is that this will make the stays for every one more pleasent.

Kritr will put people working towards a road in the land he controls to link it with the rest of the road system and accept whatever help of engineers is offered.

House Grayson will be taking advantage of the economy of scale of the overall effort to acquire the supplies to improve the existing roads surrounding Bastion and Arx at favorable rates, with an eye to planning linkages for future expansion to the ducal territories of the Crownlands.

Saikland Greens is a small area but a link and a junction along the path between areas to the north and Iasu to the west and Ostria to the south should the route extend that far. The route, if it succeeds, is an opportunity for networking with other houses and fealities, for enhanced trade opportunities. The mappers, guards and engineers provided by Lord Kaldur to begin the initial planning and feasibility of the route are welcomed and she accompanies them during one of her trips to Saikland to make sure they find places that do not disturb the farming and vineyard, existing businesses, have resting points with water, camping areas, spots near villages and military posts for protection and provisions. They plan out areas to avoid such as difficult stream fords, the small bog to the south that moving inland a bit can circle. Lucita adds some of her military forces to the group as they look over the areas to the south and north and around the perimeter of Saikland, careful not to intrude into Fidante Holdings but to see the locations and condition of any existing routes and trails, help secure the areas within and adjacent to Saikland and the number and location of any abandoned groups along the way. Her charm and propaganda skills can sooth the way and help persuade some to join the compact rather than resist and prey upon the merchants using such a trade route. Once areas are secured, she will assess to see if improvements to her docks becomes necessary.

Sabella is well aware of the issues that might come up with this road and so she is ready to be on hand to talk it up to anyone and everyone that wants to listen. And even those that don't want to listen, painting a picture for people of the Compact of safe, faster travel and trade, and trying to pitch it to the Shavs that instead of having Compact people traipsing their way everywhere through their lands this will keep them all in one place and hey, they can set up stalls to sell them products along the way and everybody wins! Yay roads!

Tikva thinks this is a terrible idea. She has been repeatedly insistent that it is a terrible idea whenever it has come up. However, a number of her vassals are insisting on involving themselves in it anyway, and despite her best efforts to persuade him and others otherwise, the help of House Grayson has been sought. It is not in her to refuse what aid she can offer in order to defray some of the hazards that she perceives in creating a massive overland trade route through lands that are not held by the Compact. She does what she can to ensure that any workers are actively protected by soldiery, that there are relay stations set up along the route that she believes to be an ultimately doomed project so that messages and emergency cries for help when the raiding parties come can help protect them. Tikva does not anticipate that her efforts will be able to prevent anything from ending in disaster, loss of life and potential deep economic distress for those houses embarking on an ill-advised venture, but at least if she does something to try to stave off some of the worst, maybe she can mitigate the damage to people who insist on failing to follow her good advice.

Niklas will mostly make jokes about how they should extend the road to Stormward. Like, hey guys, why can't we do a road to Stormward? This is a massive undertaking, but you know what would really make you guys legends? Uh. A road to Stormward. Really, he'll keep doing it until people are annoyed with him. But only the people who are actually working on the project. For everyone else the celebrity prince will turn on the megawatt smile and gladhand like the white hot grease fire of charm and charisma he happens to be. He's no good with a sword, he doesn't run his own domain and he doesn't have an army to offer, but what he does have are contacts who can help to make sure the money gets to where it needs to be and parts more easily from those who may be reluctant to turn it over. Call it monetary logistics. You don't need to know what you're moving, you just need to move it.

As Minsiter of Infrastructure for the Crown, Jaenelle understands the captial city is certainly a hub of activity. Arx will continue to assist where needed, making sure the roads leading to and from Arx are kept safe to the traders as well as making sure the steets themselves are kept free from holes, cracks, or anything that might make travel harder. Jaenelle's focus will be the roads directly around Arx.

Jennyva has been given permission from Duke Malcolm to sign Graypeak up for this project and contribute writs, time, whatever Kaldur may need. Her expertise is in negotiations and marketing and she ensures that the merchants know to use these new roads to their advantages.

As a capable steward and Voice for Blackram, Teagan has stepped up to oversee her family's participation in this expansive project. As remote as the Cloudspine is, such a road will be greatly beneficial. She will gladly see to aiding in what ways she can beyond providing what Blackram will for the connection of their holdings to the road: primarily with her economic skills.

Sir Andry Bayweather seems more then interested in the idea of helping connect the compact into a more unified whole and is helping arrange patrols with the Knights of Solace as well putting in work to arrange funding for any sections which otherwise seem to be neglected

Seymour believes an effort like this can only further enhance the trade network between fealties, to the benefits of trade at all levels. Seymour is ensuring that there are ample resources to ensure the holdings in Stormwall and Ashford he is responsible for can be a part of this, and to establish new trade posts for Oak Mercantile where the need for additional trade along the new route may exist.

The Great Road is easily one of the most ambitious projects launched in recent years in the Compact, though the scope is so vast and the current state of travel in the Compact is so dangerous that it verges on quixotic. Still, the bold ambition is embraced by scores of notables in the Compact, and ambitious or no, they get to work with the massive project.

There are numerous challenges. First and foremost, the traditional respect for the autonomy of every domain holder. The Compact has always had paths, or even rough mud roads between major thoroughfares, and the Knights of Solace have long patrolled many of the most popular, but the proposed brand new road attracts notice of every domain holder that they would pass through, and this is hundreds of them. The majority welcome the increase in trade... provided a) it doesn't stir up an Abandoned response and b) that they aren't responsible for patrolling it with their own funds. That is relatively little help, and they are happy to profit from it, if it is at no cost to them. A smaller number enthusiastically welcome it, and are EAGER for an Abandoned response, and are actively looking forward to doing battle with their hated enemies. Particularly in the Oathlands, there's talk about 'cleansing their lands for good and all', which goes well outside the bounds of a friendly trade agreement, and is more than a little worrisome. Some of the talk goes well past a little worrisome, in fact. And a very few outright refuse to have any new road built on their land, despite all reasoning, pleading, threats, forcing the road to be built entirely around some random baronies and counties that simply do not wish to risk any sort of conflict with Abandoned or increase the flow of riff-raff through their borders.

But with initial agreements signed up, then comes construction. This is thousands upon thousands upon thousands of miles of road to build a road that unites the different domains on somethnig more than dirt, often overgrown, hunting paths. The sheer engineering this takes in laying down the stones and creating the waystations will stand as one of the most remarkable marvels done in the Compact in centuries. Much of the land goes through Abandoned controlled territory, even if it is ostensibly owned by the Compact, but the amount of forces brought make most of the Abandoned steer clear aside from the odd skirmish here and there as the road is being built with overwhelming force. But the key words are 'as the road is being built'.

The good news is that trade spikes up immediately, and many of the traders in the Compact are absolutely thrilled to have better overland paths in order to move their goods when rivers are inaccessible or impractical. It's a boon many of the domains, and the economic consequences should be strong, in the long term. The bad news is that there simply are not anywhere near enough Knights of Solace in the Compact to patrol thousands of miles of road. Certainly they do what they can, but the raids start immediately, and in great force, and the losses from the Knights of Solace start to mount, even as caravans start to hire sellswords and travel in greater numbers for protection. Which in turn, has prompted stronger raids. Much stronger.

The Great Road is an economic success, overall, despite the raids. And fame comes with such a large, daring project. But the social and political consequences are another matter all together, and those will be forthcoming.

Action by Norwood for House Durand

(Public Action, OOC Date: Dec. 3, 2018, 8:54 p.m.)

You have drafted a new action (#2882): Following @action 2878, a precursor to @action 2881, and a part of plot "House Durant #54", Norwood leads a scouting group. They start in Artshall then sweep their way up through Duskshire and then into Keaton's Shadowood. They're on the lookout for anything that Jael's storytellings have managed to stir up. They'll stick away from the main roads and sweep through the forests mainly.

Their primary objective will be to uncover anything they can find about House Redire on the hope that the stories being spread will have encourage them to come out. They'll have numbers enough to move quickly, but also enough to prove to be a deterrent against being attacked by any annoying House Durand or simple Bandit types.

This group has no plan to engage if at all possible, but seeks to learn what they can and then report back to Cristoph.

Faye comes along on this mission to see if she can provide any assistance with her perceptive skills. While scouting isn't precisely her forte, she has a few wilderness and survival skills as well as some experience hunting, which may be useful. If nothing else, she can help keep the party fed along the way. She has an eye for detail and good investigative instincts, and along the way she keeps watch for any trace of House Redire. While she isn't looking for trouble, she has her crossbow and isn't afraid to use it if any aggressive forces attack their party, shav or otherwise.

Amari is going to stick like glue to Norwood, to the point he'll maybe wonder why he ever thought it a good idea to bring her along. The way she'll watch him and seem to take notes on his behavior, actions and decisions may be mildly unsettling, as if she's trying to learn his manners and mindset in order to vanish him in the wood, stick on a fake beard and take his place with no one the wiser.

Less frighteningly, she'll also smile a fair amount, be cheerful and sing on occasion as she rides along atop her faithful old horse, Clopsy. It might all help morale if the scouts start feeling down, or scared. The Shadowood is pretty spooky and full of dangers after all, but she has lived there and knows her way around, roughly, and is familiar with some of the shavs and how to speak their lingo, and not infuriate them in the process.
Above all, she's perceptive. She'll keep her eyes and ears open, alert to danger and any hint of House Redire the party might stumble across.

Scouting in the woods? Now this is something Cullen excels at. During most of the mission, he'll remain on elk back with the rest of the group, looking for signs of House Redire. However, any time they face any dense woods or terrain generally impassable on horseback, he'll use his masterful talent for tracking and moving about the forest, living off the land and counting on his physical hardiness to get him through while slithering through the most difficult of terrain, then report back to the party.

Natalia will be accompanying the scouts, with dogs and Podraig (Sis is being left at home). She will step up diplomatically wherever possible if people are encountered, encouraging non-violent resolution to any encounters the group might have. She will assist in translating, and lean on Podraig for general basic information about the people they run into where it pertains to the Shadowood.

Travel the countryside trying to hear whispers of a lost house? Cristoph is there. He has a strong sword arm to wield if the group gets in trouble, but largely he attempts to remain discreet. If something comes up during the Artshall portion of their tour, he'll chat with the locals and smooth things over. But with Natalia there? He's not expecting to need to step in all that much there either.

It's slow, methodical work, going through the Shadowood, a huge stretch of land that it's easy for even the most seasoned of scouts to become lost in, and one could spend years in it and only grow familiar with a tiny portion of it. Full of valleys and near impenetrable stretches, it's no wonder that Abandoned tribes go for decades before contact with the houses of the Compact, and it's been all but impossible to flush raiders out. Against that, Amari is able to help keep up morale, as otherwise scouts would start to become despirited as they go over area after area, looking for anything.

Faye is the first one to find anyone living in the woods, the small Woodscutter family that's been living isolated for years in an exceedingly hard to find cabin. Though they haven't had much to do with most of civilization, they aren't truly Abandoned but they are still technically sworn to House Keaton. They are obviously terrified and loathe to speak of what they've seen recently in the Shadowood, but Natalia is able to relax them, and the oldest daughter Henrietta speaks of how a few days past they heard terrifying howling in the woods, like a great hound but it was so loud it shook their cabin, and then snarls. Very distantly, they could hear screams and the sound of battle, and some strange buzzing sound, roughly from the direction of Old Hound Creek.

Even with directions, it takes the better part of a day to find Old Hound Creek, with Cullen being the first one to find the trail through wood so thick near every step has to be climbed or cleared. When the scouts follow Cullen's directions and lead Norwood and Cristoph to the creek, it's hard to piece together with what they are seeing.

The creek is still running red with blood, and what might have been humans have been completely torn apart. Armor that might have been platemail has been totally destroyed, chewed into pieces no larger than a hand, and the best preserved corpse is hanging from a tree's branches about fifty feet in the air, half impaled upon the branches that knocked off part of the tree from what might have been an impact of impossible force. That corpse clearly shows a surcoat bearing the sigil of House Durand much like the others whom they've fought before. Piles of thousands and thousands of stomped and torn apart centipedes litter the ground, and most oddly there are giant tuffs of fur scattered around, some about as large as a man's chest.

There's no tracks leading from the carnage, though Norwood is the first to notice that there's no normal wood ambience there at all. No birds, no bugs, nothing.

Action by Quenia for Granato Expansion Efforts

(Public Action, OOC Date: July 23, 2018, 8:44 a.m.)

House Igniseri has an eye to the future with the potential for expansion on the horizon. In order to factilitate such expansions, Quenia needs to have a solid idea on what might be on the property of her March, as well as what areas seem most likely available to expand into in order to grow her march. She has hired a team of explorers, to be led by Lord Luis Igniseri, to survey House Igniseri holdings, and the immediate areas around Granato for future expansion.

1) The party being sent out has been instructed to map out the lands owned by House Igniseri, paying special attention to locations that might be used for mines, mills, or historical value - such as ruins.

2) They have also been asked to list any properties that might be adjacent to their lands owned by others (baronies, counties, duchies), and to see what land is available for possible expansion in order to grow the 'domain' of House Igniseri further, and what obstacles they might encounter for that to happen - IE: local shav'arvani that must be dealt with, critters that might need to be vacated, etc.

Quenia will be accompaning the group, to act as a translater for any Lycene shav'arvani tribes they might encounter, as well as to work any diplomatic efforts with them. To help smooth the way, if a way to be smoothed is needed, she makes sure to bring gifts to exchange for any potential encounter of the shav'arvani people (referenced by the inclusion of 300 economic resources). She's also hired extra guards (referenced by 300 military resources) to go along in order to ensure that the party going on the scouting mission stays safe, should there be any dangers involved.

Leading an expedition, Luis will begin with what he knows and the rumours that he has heard from his time as a youth in Granato. From there he will utilize the explorers as best he can with their strengths and what makes them valuable for being part of the mission. For himself, he is mostly muscle and charm, with the ability to lead those whom would come with. Differeing to each of their specialties and allowing Quenia to set the goals, Luis will help the team to achieve the goals set out.

Calaudrin will be accompanying the group of Explorers as they survey. He'll use his experience scouting to the groups advantage when they're out in the wild.

There's better negotiators and better scouts, so Jasher does what works for him. He keeps an eye on things, provides a voice to bark orders and provide direction when needed, and worse comes to worst...well, he's already brought his sword.

Donato donates several ships to the cause and sets about mapping the coastline in the indicated areas, taking regular measurements of depth and marking reefs, rocks and other obstacles, as well as promising natural harbors and key strategic positions. When opportunity arises, he turns on the charm with the local nobility, looking for opportunities to expand Caina's network of trading relationships.

Oswyn is good at cartography. It's involved in his Senior Scholar project, after all, not that that has anything to do with southern lands. He's using his best social graces to chat people up, too. Beyond that, his other function is to be a field medic, in case something goes horribly wrong... or if they encounter people who need help.

Aahana is accompanying alongside Marquessa Quenia, offering her diplomacy in her native tongue should it be needed. As well as helping with understanding the cultures of any of the tribes they run into, since she is a newly ennobled prodigal herself.

Donato is taking one direction, Ariella takes the other! She sets out in the Red Bargain, determined to map out the coat leading into the Bay of Granato on the other side, looking for places that would make for good fishing villages, or which call for fortification, or which could use lighthouses to protect ships, or coastal shav settlements that could use someone to go and see if they're friend or foe.

Lord Cullen, the General of Greenmarch, has come to see Granato for himself! But beyond that, to assist the scouting party in matters of battlefield tactics and strategy, should it come to that. Highly experienced at both commanding on the field and wartime theory, should they come under attack, he'll be able to hopefully utilize the guards to their maximum advantage. Also, through the Marquessa translating, he can speak with any non-hostile Abandoned about the advantages of bending the knee, given his own history in the matter.

Marquessa Quenia gathers a crack team of scouts to search her lands. She's looking for anything - places to expand, places for infrastructure projects, places just outside her reach where maybe the shav would be amenable to bending the knee and adding to Igniseri - and Compact - control.

Ariella and Donato go by ship, and find two secluded coves that would make excellent locations for quiet villages to block potential smuggling - that's always a potential problem, though for many in the Lyceum this would potentially amount more to an increase on taxes by calling them bribes to make them more palatable for these pira...privateers. In any case, there are places to expand along the shore.

Lord Luis and Sir Calaudrin scout across land, and take Marquessa Quenia, Lady Aahana, and Lord Cullen with them - particularly with Scholar Oswyn to make maps. They find another area - a mine that appears to be - haunted in some manner, if the stories those who live nearby can be trusted. Most concerning is a nest of... creatures. Creatures that potentially escaped the carnage at Setarco and traveled far to find a quiet place to live. Of course, quiet is relative, as it seems there are plenty of nearby citizens of Igniseri who would like the night terrors to go away. They can't precisely describe the creatures, but they're fairly afraid of them.

All in all, it's a mixed bag - there are plenty of places to expand, but also there are some troubled areas to which the Marquessa could direct forces. And indeed her people hope sincerely that she does just that.

Action by Cullen

(Public Action, OOC Date: July 14, 2018, 7:28 p.m.)

When the knights of the True Compact surrendered to Marquis Marius Greenmarch after a pitched battle and clever diplomacy won the day for House Greenmarch, it was understood that these outlaws would formally bend the knee in exchange for their continued existence, and that they'd be disarmed and forced to settle in the Greenwood to become more productive subjects - mainly producing timber and bows for export and increase Greenmarch's tax revenue. To see this chapter of bloody insurrection and conspiracy fully resolved, Lord Cullen Greenmarch, as the General of Greenmarch's army, will ride out at the head of that force to see the True Compact fulfill their promise with other members of the family ready to do their parts to make the process as smooth as possible.

A healer and a diplomat, Margret goes to assist Simone in working with the Knights and Villagers to see the Knights settled. She also teaches those villages how to live healthily by instructing them on basic hygiene (put the village latrine away from the drinking water) and basic first aid. This is done not only to keep them healthy, but to solidify their trust. If Greenmarch cares about their health then they care about them.

After convincing the leader of the knights to surrender, Marius will keep working with him. Not content to simply have the knights to be subjects, he wants them to be productive, loyal, members of the march that see a future within Greenwood. He'll talk to the leader about the proud history of Greenmarch, the way of cooperating and how to best settle in to make the best of things for both the march and themselves.

Having helped to resolve the conflict and to get the knights to lay down their weapons though diplomacy alongside Marius, Simone will now go with Cullen to see to the long-term stability of the knights. She will speak to nearby villages until a place can be found where the least likelihood of repraisal or hard feelings is to be an issue. She will work with both the knights and the villages to see them settled and productive and to help them deal with and lay aside previous prejudices that led to the conflict in the first place.

The charm that the Minx of the Marches is known for is on full display here. She is warm and welcoming and spends a good deal of time with the men and women formerly of the True Compact, helping them adjust to their new lives as bondsmen and women of Greenmarch.

Alessandro will be along to see to the accounts side of things. He will be helping secure apprenticeships for the former knights, liaising with Dame Ida to assist her by providing coin for materials for her toolmaking, keeping track of money needed for the venture, as well as how the incomes grow as people settle into their new lives. He will also be figuring out tax amounts and making sure everything is set up for payment to Greenmarch.

Through the last few years as a Ranger of the Silver Order serving his mission as guide and protector for deployed healers, Jamie Greenmarch has worked to protect these very men and in many cases, fought alongside them. After all, their battle prowess is not suddenly lost despite their shift to lumberjacks and fletchers. That comraderie is never forgotten and Jamie will use it to help facilitate the agenda of his family in this area, through building a more trusting and better relationship with the former Knights.

At the invitation of both Lords Alessandro and Cullen Greenmarch, Ida will accompany the party on their endeavor. As a knight herself and, maybe, still well-known pugilist, the smith will talk about her younger years of fixing as many plows as she did armor and how a good days work is still pretty damn rewarding. All that, though, because she's just chatty. The Ida's main focus will be bringing some journeymen from the shop and deliver a number of tools the former knights will need for their new trades. If any show interest in learning how to make such themselves, she will happily instruct them.

Norwood brings his own unique perspective to the soon to be farmer knights - being one himself from ages past. (Albeit with bees.) It's a solid practice run for Norwood's own future of trying to convince people who aren't particularly peaceful to settle down with the compact. He'll teach them what he knows about woodsman arts from his own childhood. It's okay to be a lumberjack!

Marian has gone through the transition from shav to prodigal. She does some volunteering with the Office of Prodigal and Refugee Affairs. She can offer valuable insight to Cullen in how to make the transition go smoother. As well as watch over the party visiting just in case any rogue factions try to derail the transition. While it's clear that Cullen is definitely in charge, Marian will take this opportunity to teach her protege what she knows.

In the Greenmarch, some shav upstarts have been claiming to be the One True Compact. But under the leadership of Lord Cullen Greenmarch they've been brought to heel. Princess Marian, Baron Norwood, Dame Ida, Lord Jamie, Lord Alessandro, Lady Monique, Marquessa Simone, Marquis Marius and Lady Margret all had their parts to play as well. Convincing the shav to bend the knee rather than be slaughtered was the first task, and helping them acclimate as part of the Compact was the second. They succeeded beyond what they could have hoped for, and as a result Greenhaven is more productive and stronger than ever before.

Action by Katarina for The Wolf Door

(Public Action, OOC Date: July 2, 2018, 1:03 a.m.)

After combing through her catalogue of past ventures, Katarina came across the documents that outlined the results of expeditions based upon the completed records of Song of Lost Names & Weapons she'd kept in her possession. There was one expedition that is said to have been a failure to retrieve a "cache of weapons for rulers most cruel" led by Duke Harald Grimhall and Duke Asger Crovane, which aligns with the curious findings that alluded to recent visitors having been in the strange temple upon the Island of Storms they discovered from the last trip.

Given that signs of the Horned God's activity have begun to rear up, Katarina is resolved to retrieve this final weapon or tool, no matter what it takes. She knows the waters to the Island of Storms like the back of her hand and will gather up a group once more to return and retrieve the cache.

Sorrel has been wanting to go to the Isle of Storms for awhile now. She's an enthusiastic adventurer, and even though this specific mission isn't her end goal, she intends to learn as much as she possibly can from the experience. She'll bring her armor and her sword, for who knows what dangers the Isle will bring, and she'll work to help Katarina come home with the sword.

Ian will be coming along, as he does, bringing some of the Thrax Special Forces as backup. (Probably not all of them as I doubt they'd fit on the Unsullied. But as many as is reasonable.) As usual, his primary goal is to make sure that everyone is as safe as they can be and that everyone (especially Sorrel) comes back alive.

That having been said, Ian is also quite interested in any weapons that can be found in a place like this, and because he sees Harald as a father figure, finishing what he started would have deep meaning for him.

Something is lost? Kenna's totally on board with that, her innate curiosity too much to keep her back upon hearing about the lost weapons. She signs up to come along with Katarina to search bringing her keen eye and knack for finding lost things. Knowing it is particularly dangerous she keeps her wandering spirit more or less in control unless there's a clear compulsion to look someplace in particular. Then she'll speak to Katarina before following after said compulsion, not wishing to have HER actions bring anyone else into danger also.

Intrigued by this particular cache of weapons to help battle the evil to the North, and never having had the opportunity to go to the Isle of Storms in the past, Cullen is quite thrilled to be joining this expedition and ensuring Katarina is successful in this venture. Having years of experience in the tactics and strategy of warfare, both on scales large and on the small group level, he will ensure that the expedition and any military units are deployed in the most advantageous manner possible, should they face adversaries on the Island of Storms.

An open door. A dark pool of water. An empty altar. And sharks. So many sharks. But not normal ones. Why can there never just be NORMAL FREAKING SHARKS?!

Action by Shae for So You Think You're a Werewolf

(Public Action, OOC Date: June 4, 2018, 7:05 p.m.)

Shae is heading to the Greenwood with a few Oakhaven hounds and her own specially bred Shepherd, Daegmund, and whomever she can get to accompany her, in search of evidence of the illusive Venandi and potentially make contact with them. Using information from a few sources (clues: 'Shadow Hunters, the Claws of Fable', 'Shapeshifters, a Historical Account', and 'The Rangers and the Wolves'), she would head as deep into the Greenwood as she can, and if she does find the tribe or evidence of it, ask for help against the darkness that is out for Keaton blood. She would use her keen skills as a woodsman and a Tracker of Oakhaven, and her close affinity with animals to do this.

Shard has been asked to come along, and so she'll be bringing her own skills as a tracker as well, along with her familiarity with the wilderness (if not this particular stretch of wilderness). She'll help as she can, though a large part of her concern is to keep everyone involved out of harm's way while they're getting on with things. It never hurts to keep both eyes open for trouble.

Ansel will be accompanying Shae and the others to the Greenwood. He's been to the area a few times with the Greenmarches before, so it's not entirely foreign land to him, but the Telmar is mostly here as the muscle for the group. A few Telmarine armsmen will be joining as well, and will happily follow the guidance of the Oakhaven trackers in the party.

Lord Cullen Greenmarch will provide a steady swordarm on this journey, using his natural agility and the destructive power of Dusk to accompany Shae on her trip to find evidence of the Vendani. Should they run into any danger, he shall attempt to smite it into the ground.

The popular consensus is that Venandi all died a long time ago, though the Shadowood has traces of them. There's parts of the Shadowood so thick with growth that the daylight doesn't penetrate, and in one of those very deep places that even the Abandoned fear to tread, they found a place where the raised ground turned black, hard and dead and an ancient cairn. In the cairn, they saw traces of skeletons that appeared to be half-man and half-wolf skeletons, some of them with bones shattered as from great force, but it appears to have not been disturbed for hundreds of years.

Leaving the cairn, they have a better look at the raised ground upon which the cairn was built- most of the rocky outcropping aren't rocks at all, but massive bones, and it appears the cairn was built upon some hulking several hundred foot large skeleton that was vaguely humanoid in shape, with the cairn itself part of what was its maw.

But for living Venandi, they find none.

Action by Alessandro

(Public Action, OOC Date: June 3, 2018, 5:04 p.m.)

Alessandro has begun learning all he can about Greenmarch, and throwing himself into learning about the running of the house. Since Greenmarch is in need of building up their military again, he has decided to put his efforts into this task first.

His approach will be two-pronged. His own contribution will be the money side of things -- looking at house finances, seeing where there can be cuts made, drawing from any possible source to find the funds to hire new infantry, pikes, and archers. He will also be looking to make adjustments to house investments to possibly bring in new income.

He will also be speaking to all the members of the house about how they can contribute, whether it be encouraging people to join up in the army, showing a strong united front for Greenmarch through leadership skills, possibly taking on trainees for various military-related skills, or recruiting and training field medics.

Simone will assist by reaching out to their people to speak to them about the honor and the satisfaction of protecting their homelands. She will relate to them stories and tales of the heroes of the Greenmarch family and how they were supported by the troops that followed them into battle to raise their spirits and their sense of pride in their people.

Margret goes to the Greenwood to recruit healers to be trained as battle medics for the army. She organizes the volunteers she receives, and sets up programs in which to train them on healing in battles.

Cullen will use his extensive training in the tactics and strategies of warfare to help train new officers to lead in the field, utilizing such knowledge to recognize and exploit weaknesses of enemy forces.

Monique is Monique. She seduces new recruits. How many? Enough. She uses her Minxish wiles to charm and beguile conscripts, and if all of a sudden there are poets and bards singing flattering songs about the legendary Minx of the Marches in all the taverns this side of the Oathlands? Mere coincidence.

Marius rallies his people to rebuild the forces of the Greenmarch. He sends patrols around the various villages on Greenmarch land, encouraging them to join up, and he himself spends some time gathering people to speak to them. Reminding them of the proud traditions of the Greenwood, and that it has stood, untamed and unconquered, only through the sacrifice of it's people and soldiers.

Sir Corban might now just be a rank-and-file knight in the King's Own now, but he was a drill instructor once. Now armed with some of the latest teaching techniques, he will be join the Greenmarchers and see that the new recruits are shown the best technique and formation to join the ranks of the Greenwood army.

Prince Alessandro Velenosa has decided to start working on behalf of the Greenmarch family to build up their military. And apparently hiring in some advisory help works for Greenmarch and the family, as they all pitch in to help.

Marquessa Simone speaks about the importance of protecting their homeland. Lady Margret recruits and organizes battle medics. Marquis Marius sends patrols out to the various villages encouraging recruitment, and Lady Monique even helps encourage them to sign up by charming new recruits into believing this is the best job ever!

Once these new people have been recruited, Lord Cullen trains officers in war tactics, and Sir Corban helps with drills and some of the latest training techniques to get these green recruits up to speed as quickly as possible.

All in all a rousing success, though a Velenosan prince's heavy involvement raises some eyebrows and assumptions about future marriage matches among Compact gossips.

Action by Petal

(Public Action, OOC Date: June 1, 2018, 7:55 p.m.)

Petal is going to take all her white flowers and move them to the lodge of Petrichor. She is doing this with Leola's permission and blessing. The idea is to have them cared for at the lodge. She will also build a green house there, giving them a home for when it is colder.

Ectorion isn't good with plants usually, that's Petal's schtick. He's good with woodworking though, and carpentry, and metalworking and the like. He's going to focus on building the greenhouse, applying his skills to try and make it the best greenhouse it can be.

Marian has no knowledge in agriculture, but she's happy to carry the plants from Petal's place to the Lodge. Lending her strength to help ferry these precious plants across the city.

In order to expedite the movement of the precious plants from Petal's greenhouse to the Lodge, Cullen will round up some locals from the Lowers to provide labor, using his natural aura of authority and experience in leading others on the battlefield and off of it, carrying some plants himself to provide inspiration

The move of the flowers is successful. Under Petal's direction and Marian's care, the workers assembled by Cullen and Tallius manage to get the flowers moved to the Lodge. At first, they aren't sure that the flowers will take root - but then there is an evening of storms, and in the flash of lightning, a unicorn is seen standing guard. That lone unicorn, the last remnant of the herd, standing vigil over the Lodge itself.

After that, the flowers at last take root and start to grow, though the greenhouse is sometimes bathed in an eerie light in the middle of the night, and once in a while a gardener sees hoofprints outside the greenhouse. And yet they grow and they flourish, and it is said their scent is heavy and wondrous, and brings rest and rejuvenation to those who linger among them.