>>1578827
>"We would certainly appreciate a feast after our journey."

>>1578827
>"A private room would be better, I think."

>>1578827
>>"We would certainly appreciate a feast after our journey."

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>>1578827
"We would certainly appreciate a feast after our journey."

"Agreed." Reagan looks to Lady Ciara. "I hope you have a table ready for our household?"

"Of course, your majesty," Lady Ciara says. "Please, follow me."

The hall is filled with rectangular, save one. The table at the back of the hall is round, and large enough for you, Reagan, your children, your consorts, your concubines, your hosts, Myrddin and possibly Nimue, if she's here. The table can't quite overlook the hall the way it's supposed to, but it's still a very nice touch. Reagan sits next to Ciara, while you sit next to her with Myrddin on your other side. Your household fills up the rest of the seats.

The servants bring in piping hot food and wine, along with water and softer foods for the children. The other tables in the hall fill up as well, but most of the guests are knights and lesser nobles who seem content to gossip among themselves.

"I hope your time in Olstren will be pleasant, your majesty," Lady Ciara tells you. "My family and I are grateful for the opportunities you've given us."

"You can expect other opportunities to come your way soon," you say. "I have no intention of seeking trouble, but…"

"Ignorant people often create trouble of their own initiative," Reagan says.

>[Dilettante/1d6] Show off the singing skills you've been polishing.
>Just enjoy the feast.

>You have an automatic success on Dilettante.

>>1578931
>>[Dilettante/1d6] Show off the singing skills you've been polishing.

>>1578931
>[Dilettante/1d6] Show off the singing skills you've been polishing.

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>>1578931
At some point, someone decides to start singing and you've had enough wine to think it's a good idea for you to join in. It's a good thing you practiced with Eleri, or else you'd probably sound terrible. Then again, just about everyone here aside from you and Eleri sound horrible, so it's likely no one would really notice. Fortunately, your newfound talents gain you quite a bit of attention and whenever you finish a song, the audience breaks into applause.

Eleri, Seren and Delyth take the children to bed once it gets too late, but you join Lady Ciara in one of her offices, along with Reagan, Olwen, Esyllt and Myrddin.

"I don't like to discuss business drunk," Ciara says, "but sometimes, it's better than doing it sober."

"Bad news, then?" Reagan asks.

"It's not all bad," Ciara says. "It's more like it has its ups and downs. The duchies of Scathn and Ulainn to the north are spreading rumours that Gwyrddarfordir is trying to annex Olstren. They're using it as an excuse to secede."

"The duchies have always been looking for an excuse to secede," Reagan says dismissively. "They always stopped after extorting whatever favours they wanted from my father and grandfather."

"This time is different," Ciara says. "Duke Conchor and Duchess Naoise have kept the loyalty of their vassals by turning them against the Crown. This time, they might have no choice but to go through with it, even if they don't want to. For the Crown Princess to marry the second Prince of Gwyrddarfordir gives them an excuse that may never come again."

>[Sovereign/1d6] Send diplomatic envoys to Scathn and Ulainn.
>[Intrigue/1d12] Send spies to Scathn and Ulainn.
>Leave it be for now.

>You have an active crit on Intrigue.

>>1578931
>>[Dilettante/1d6] Show off the singing skills you've been polishing.

>>1579033
>>[Intrigue/1d12] Send spies to Scathn and Ulainn.

>>1579033
>>[Intrigue/1d12] Send spies to Scathn and Ulainn.

>>1579033
>>[Intrigue/1d12] Send spies to Scathn and Ulainn.

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>>1579033
"Myrddin?"

"I have agents ready for deployment, your highness," he says. "They're waiting for your orders."

"Send them to Scathn and Ulainn. We need accurate information before we can do anything."

>Roll 1d12, best of three.

Rolled 4 (1d12)

>>1579106

Rolled 10 (1d12)

>>1579106

Rolled 7 (1d12)

>>1579106

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>>1579106
"In the meantime, I was able to prepare a few gifts to repay your generosity, Lady Ciara," you say. "They should be with our carriage. We can help you unload them in the morning when our business is taken care of. If there is anything else we can do for you, please let us know."

"There are a few things you can do to improve our friendship," Lady Ciara says. "For the most part, the duchies only care about their cultural independence. They'll kneel before Olstren and pay the Crown's taxes so long as those taxes are reasonable and the people are left alone. There are other benefits, of course, but they're old news now."

If you want to ingratiate yourself to the duchies of Danargh and Nogren, you'd need to learn more about their culture or provide them with new economic advantages that would improve their standard of living significantly.

>[Dilettante/Autosuccess] "Tell me more about your traditions."
>[Merchant/Autosuccess] "Let's discuss business opportunities."

>>1579167
>>[Merchant/Autosuccess] "Let's discuss business opportunities."

>>1579167
>>[Merchant/Autosuccess] "Let's discuss business opportunities."

>>1579167
>>[Merchant/Autosuccess] "Let's discuss business opportunities."

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>>1579167
"Let's discuss business opportunities," you say. "I can't make any promises in the Crown's name, but Degfford will be under my control until my death. The city has expanded greatly during recently, and while I won't be able to spend as much time developing it anymore, I expect it to compete with Gwyrddarfordir's other major cities within the next few years."

"For the moment, Degfford's primary market is enchantment," Esyllt says. "However, it's also a gathering place for merchant. We don't have a large enough military force to defend entire caravans, but individual merchants can move safely."

"The duchy of Machain will benefit most from trade with Degfford," Ciara says. "It's true that it now belongs to Danargh and Nogren nobles, but none of that matters to the common people."

"That's not entirely true," Reagan says. "If the nobles have additional income, they can lower the taxes they impose on the commoner."

"Most of that additional income will have to go towards Machain's upkeep though," Myrddin says. "It won't make much of a difference for the average farmer."

"There's always Parlan," Esyllt says. "It conducts most of its naval trade with Gwyrddarfordir, so Olstren only has access to a small part of their market. We can promote Degfford as a centre of trade for enchantment and alchemy and increase the supply of magical goods in Olstren."

>[Merchant/1d10] Promote trade to increase general revenue.
>[Merchant/1d8] Sell Degfford-made enchanted goods to Olstren.
>[Merchant/1d6] Make Parlan's magical items available to Olstren.

>>1579296
>>[Merchant/1d10] Promote trade to increase general revenue.

>>1579296
>>[Merchant/1d6] Make Parlan's magical items available to Olstren.

>>1579296
>>[Merchant/1d6] Make Parlan's magical items available to Olstren.

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>>1579296
Esyllt's suggestion wouldn't be easy. You'd have to pick out merchants yourself, bribe or subsidize them and invest massive amounts of your money into the venture. You could do it though, and it would make Olstren a much wealthier kingdom after two or three decades.

>Roll 1d6, best of three.

Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>1579439

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>1579439

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>1579439

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>>1579439
"Fine, I'll take care of things personally," you say. "Esyllt, invest as much of my personal fortune as necessary into this venture and call in as many favours as you can. We'll create a trade route between Olstren and Parlan."

"Yes, your highness," Esyllt says. "I can guarantee a very profitable return on your investments."

"My mother will be extremely pleased to hear of your decision," Ciara says. "So will the Nogren nobles."

"This is an exchange of favours," you say. "I do expect something back."

"That's only natural, your highness," Ciara says. "What did you have in mind?"

>[Sovereign/1d8] "A display of loyalty towards my wife and children."
>[Military/1d10] "A few more patrols on the borders of Scathn and Ulainn. Just enough to make them think twice."
>[Dilettante/1d8] "I need more popular support."

>>1579567
>[Military/1d10] "A few more patrols on the borders of Scathn and Ulainn. Just enough to make them think twice."

Displays of loyalty will play into the secessionists hands and popular support can (hopefully) be acquired through other less direct ways.

>>1579567
>>[Military/1d10] "A few more patrols on the borders of Scathn and Ulainn. Just enough to make them think twice."

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>>1579567
"A few more patrols on the borders of Scathn and Ulainn," you say. "Nothing too heavy-handed. Just enough to make them think twice."

"Rivalries between the duchies are hardly unheard of," Ciara says. "Keeping a sharp and well-armed eye on their borders will be a simple matter."

"Wouldn't that escalate things though?" Olwen asks.

"I don't think so," Ciara says. "The nobles will certainly feel challenged, but if we make a clear commitment to the Crown, they'll have to back down for the moment. It will buy you some time to secure your position.

>Roll 1d10, best of three.

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>1579688

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>1579688

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>1579688

>>1579776
THANK YOU

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>>1579688
"We can go over the details in the morning," you say. "Thank you for your help, Lady Ciara."

"Good night, your majesty," Ciara says. "Please let us know if you need anything."

You go to your room with Olwen on one arm, Esyllt on the other and Reagan walking slightly ahead of you.

"The negotiations went extremely well," Reagan says. "I have no doubt some nobles will want to make trouble, but they'll be timid, at least at first. They won't want to do anything that will set the powder keg ablaze."

"It might be easier for us if they did cause a war," you say, "but I then the people would be the ones to suffer."

"Yes, I'd rather not put any more stress on my poor father," Reagan says. "Are you nervous about meeting him? My father, I mean."

>"No, of course."
>"Yes, a little."
>"He won't mind the concubines and consorts, will he?"

>>1579831
>>"He won't mind the concubines and consorts, will he?"

>>1579831
>>"Yes, a little."

>>1579831
>>"He won't mind the concubines and consorts, will he?"

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>>1579831
"He won't mind the concubines and consorts, will he?"

"Maybe, but since I'm fine with it, he won't make a problem of it," Reagan says. "It wasn't an option for him; too many political complications. That's not something we need to worry about though. If anyone asks, well, we're married. Your lovers are half mine."

"Did you hear that, your highness?" Olwen giggles and pokes your cheek. "The princess is going to take your slave away."

"I don't mind," Esyllt says, "so long as his highness cooperates and lets me have another child."

"Fine, we can get started right away," you say. "Olwen can stand by and watch. It'll be her punishment for betraying her master."

"Please don't make a mess of Lady Ciara's bedsheets, your highness," Reagan says. "It would be terribly embarrassing."

Not that you were going to go through with it. You have no idea how you'd manage it without waking the twins.

Rolled 2, 3, 4, 6 = 15 (4d6)

>>1579934
And now, for the bonus XP.

Rolled 1, 1, 3 = 5 (3d8)

>>1579940
And that's it for today. Beleaguered Prince Quest will return on Friday June 23rd, same as always. Until then, goodnight and thanks for playing.

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>>1579948
cheers, boss