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Wherein the intrepid Hero is assailed by Murderers in his Home; A Visit to Duke Erran; and Stone is given his Coat of Arms.

---

Year 4, January

January is quite cold this year, your fourth since taking charge of the lands. You turn your attention to writing the Duke a letter, asking for a meeting with him in the coming months. You have in mind to formally present yourself to him, inform him of the mine, and ask to court his niece.

With your newly acquired literacy, you take several weeks poring over the letter for errors and neatness, writing several drafts. You have the letter sitting on your desk for much of the month, and you work on it each evening.

Desiring better horses, you send Irlof and some of your other merchants, along with a small escort, to buy a few horses with the idea of starting up a breeding program. A couple weeks of travel later, they return with a nice mottled grey hunting horse for you, as well as a few mares for husbandry purposes. For now, you simply house them in a local farmer's barn, but you may want to build a stable for them come spring.

You visit the mine, asking Stumpf for a small gold nugget, about the size of a thumb. You send it off to a Curbiston jeweler, and have it set into a piece of jewelry for you, a stylized silver sun necklace. It is returned at the end of the month, but you once again have emptied your treasury.

You spend your days training with the Rangers, helping them hash out their program. This goes well, and you feel yourself getting more skilled in woodsmanship as you work in the cold forests. Your swordsmanship also improves, as well, as you go through drills with the men. You are now getting quite skilled in the sword, besting most men in training.

Returning to your study one evening, you watch one of the nightly patrols pass by and settle down to pore over your letter one final time before sending it off on the morrow. A few minutes into your work, however, you hear a pane of glass break at the rear of your house. What would you like to do?

Roleplaying, go!

---

Lets keep our sword in hand. I don't think we've pissed off anybody enough to warrant an assasination attempt... but lets be cautious here. lets go check if anybody is trying to force their way into our dwelling.

You grab your sword from where it was leaning against your desk, and cautiously proceed to the part of the house where you heard the window break. Opening a door to your bedroom, you come across two men cloaked in black, both clutching daggers, standing near a shattered window. They give start as you open the door, their focus having been on the bed.

You have the drop, as it were. What will you do?

Stab one in the dagger wielding shoulder, Intent is to disarm. Then tell the other to drop its blade and to surrender... Now! dammit!

You spring into action, leaping forward and stabbing one of the men in the shoulder. Your blade strikes true, and he screams in pain, dropping his dagger. You turn to the other one as the first man drops to his knees, telling him to surrender immediately.

He takes one look at you, and another look at the man on the floor, and then suddenly flings himself at you. You parry his clumsy stab expertly to the side, before whipping your sword overhead in a vicious downward arc that sinks deeply into his neck. Your blade travels nearly halfway through his neck before stopping.

Pulling your blade free, you yell out the window in the direction the guards went. Your attention is drawn back to the first man, who seems to have grabbed the dagger with his other hand. You stomp on his hand while it is still on the ground, and then kick him swiftly in the head, knocking him out cold.

You stand panting for a few seconds, before grabbing some rope and tying the still bleeding man to the corner of your bed. The guards arrive in a minute or two, and ask for your orders. What now?

"Take him to the barracks, and make sure he doesn't bleed out before spilling all the bean he can. One of you stay there while I dress up for the interrogation. There may be more around."
*gesture toward the corpse*
"And somebody throw that outside please, we'll burrow him tomorrow."

You tell the guards to triage your attacker's wounds, as you don't want him to die before finding out all you can from him. You tell the guards to stay alert, as more attackers may be afoot, as you go change back into your work clothing for the interrogation. You also tell the guards to toss the body of the other attacker outside, to be dealt with the next day.

When you return, you haul the now groggily awake man up and, with the two militiamen, make your way to the barracks. On your way out, you see a shadowy figure on a horse in the distance, holding the reins to two other horses. When he spots your party, he drops the reins of the other horses and rides off. You decide against chasing him, as he is already out of sight, but you suspect he was involved.

You arrive at the barracks, where Fin is sitting up with a few of the Rangers, dicing. They eye the man your soldiers drag between them suspiciously. The attacker is thrown to the ground, groaning in pain. How would you like to proceed?

Thoroughly interrogate him and find out everything he knows. If he refuses to talk, rough him up a bit. "so... tell me about yourself, I make it a point to get to know my guests" Have some of the rangers go through his coat looking for anything noteworthy

You sit the man down on a chair, and begin the interrogation after sending a few men out to search the body that is outside of your house. You question him about who was his employer, their mission, how many men were sent... and why this was done.

He remains mum at first, even resisting some blows from a Ranger who yells at and strikes him when he fails to answer. You remain calm, asking the questions again and again, until you are interrupted by the returning militiamen. They pull you aside and show you a small pouch of coins, all minted in the Count's land.

You present him with this piece of evidence, asking him what it means, and he seems to crack. "It was the Count... the Count wants you dead... the mines... no heir... mercy, m'Lord."

The man passes out, having bled through the bandage placed on his arm. Fin takes a look at the wound, peering under the bandage, and tells you it is too deep. The man will likely die by the morning. What would you like to do?

Keep the prisoner alive at all costs. he's our best evidence. coins dont really prove much. for all the Duke (or anyone else knows) we could have just had one of our guys go to the counts land and sell something for approximately equal value.

Request council with Sir percival and Sir Denton at first chance in the dukes lands. We will need to work quickly, surrounding ourselves with friends and witnesses. Having them as close allies will be splendid. This may come to war. They will help.

You spend the rest of the night meeting with your Steward, who has some understanding of these matters. It seems that, since you lack an heir, your death would lead to the lands under your control reverting to the Count. It does seem to be a strong motive, and combined with the confession, you are convinced your liege lord has made an attempt on your life.

The next morning comes, and you awake to find that the man is lingering on, though feverish. Your best medical practitioner in town cannot say if he will live or die.

You revise your note to the Duke, slightly, asking that your audience be granted as quickly as possible. You also write to Sirs Denton and Percival, asking for their council immediately. At your Steward's behest, you don't write any allegations on paper, but you make it clear that you desperately need to speak with them. Given the season, you wonder if they will be able to make it to your lands quickly at all.

You gather the townsfolk the next day, and tell them of the attempt on your life. They seem aghast that someone would attempt to harm their lord, and ten young men come forward as new recruits for the militia.

You spend the next few days asking amongst the miners if there had been any recent developments in their former liege's lands before their rebellion. However, you do not seem to find any evidence of foul play. Their former lord was a horrible man, cruel to his people, and the uprising seems to have been simply in response to his depredations.

After a week, the attacker seems to be hanging on. His fever ha broken, and his wound is starting to heal, although he will never use his arms again. You keep him locked up in the barracks, fed and alive, for later use.

With that being done with, and your letters on their way, what would you like to do in February, the month of your 22nd birthday?

---

Year 4, February

Your 22nd birthday comes and goes, but it is a time of anxiety, not celebration, given your recent travails. You split the new recruits between archers and axmen, and set them to training. Patrols are increased, as well, and you start a rotation of two bodyguards, drawn from your most trusted militia, with you at all times. You also move your squire, Alan, into a spare bedroom in your house, as he has volunteered to Captain your guard.

Your rangers are sent to track the horsemen, but a fresh snow obscured their tracks. All they could tell was that the men fled back towards Curbiston, in the direction of the Count's lands. The prisoner is kept in a secure room in the barracks, under guard at all times.

With the mines continuing to produce goods, you start some minor metalworking projects. Your people lack the skill for fine working, but they begin the process of forging crude iron spear blades, axes, and arrowheads. You also start stockpiling bricks, lumber, and stone, in preperation for building your manor this spring.

You send off some silver to fine metalworkers in Curbiston, ordering it worked into a silver brooch in the shape of your sword. It is nicely made, and a worthy present for a Duke.

On another note, you receive permission to make a heraldic sign from the Royal administrators. You have been playing some ideas over in your head, but need to finalize your thoughts. You also receive a note from the Duke, asking you to visit in March.

Late in the month, Sir Denton arrives on horseback. He listens to your story with a grim face, and agrees that the facts seem to implicate the Count. However, none of the proof is irrefutable, in his mind, although the attacker's testimony is quite convincing. He asks the man a few questions, and it comes to light that the attacker never met the Count face to face, which throws the whole story into another light.

Still, he gives you a quiet assurance that he is no big fan of the Count's. Implications are made that, should it come to blows, he would rather draw up banners on your side. He says that Sir Percival would likely feel the same way, and he will stop by his lands on his return to relay your tale.

He takes his leave, and you are left preparing for March and your trip to the Duke's lands. What will you do?

---

Year 4, March

Before you leave for the Duke's lands, you set a few things in motion. You start some men paving the road from the market to the docks, as well as order the construction of your new manor to begin. It will be a simple great hall to begin with, with a stone foundation, brick walls, and a timber roof.

You also send off a note, describing your desired crest. It will be as follows: "Green with a blue diagonal strip going upper left-bottom right. In the upper right corner, a silver sun with a golden core." Your Steward tells you he will see to the details while you are gone. He also will oversee the first planting.

You take your Rangers with you as guards as you travel, along with Alan. You have to ride through the Count's lands en route to the Duke's, and you are wary the entire time. You arrive, however, without any issues. You are greeted in an anteroom, and, before you know it, you stand before the Duke. He is a stern looking man in his early forties, with shoulder-length brown hair and a walrus mustache. He seems battle-tested.

He takes your brooch as a present, and a wry smile passes by his lips. He seems to like it. After your initial greetings are made, how would you like to begin your audience with him?

Roleplaying, go!











Will be off for several hours, but enjoy this until then...

---

Bring up the assassination attempt, say we intended to meet him to ask for his permission of us courting his niece, but there was that problem in the meantime and it appeared slightly more important... Plus, courting someone while in danger of being killed at any moment is not really courteous.

You start off your conversation around Marna, and how you have enjoyed your time spent with her.

"Yes, she has spoken to me warmly of your village festival, and the time you spent with her at a recent feast." He smirks at you. "It seems as if you have caught her attention, young Sir Stone."

You acknowledge that, in fact, that was your original reason for setting up the visit, but you have darker news to share with him before you speak of courting. You bring up the assassination attempt, and that you fear that someone is either framing the Count, or... you left it unsaid, but your meaning is clear.

The Duke rubs his eyes, wearily. "I do not know precisely how to deal with this, Sir Stone. As you mentioned, all of this evidence is circumstantial. However, given my understanding of Count Foles' character... this is quite troubling, indeed. Your discovery of such rich minerals would certainly give him a motivation... but... for such a serious charge, I would need irrefutable evidence to take action.

"For now, I can only say this. Watch your back, Sir. Do not give... whoever is responsible... another chance to strike you so cleanly.

"Regarding Marna... I have no objections to your courting her, and visiting her here in my lands. But, until this situation is remedied, I hope you understand that I cannot abide her visiting you in your lands."

Anything else you would like to talk to the Duke about?

Take our leave, politely thank the Duke for hearing us, and tell him that we will be available if he should like to discuss anything further, that being Marna or... other matters.

You thank the Duke for his time and take your leave. Your trip home is relatively uneventful, although you are troubled by this issue facing you. When you return home, building is progressing nicely on the foundation of your new manor, and the harvest is well under way.

You question your prisoner a bit further, and stumble across another, perhaps more damning piece of information. You find out that the man was sent to kill a "Sir Rock," not "Sir Stone." You recall the Count calling you the former on several occasions. You also twist him for some information about who contacted him for this mission, finally getting the name of a wealthy Curbiston wool merchant.

When you bring the man's name up to your Steward, his face gets pale. Apparently, the man recently wed a niece of the Count's... the plot seems to thicken. What would you like to do in April?

---

Year 4, April

April is upon you, and you get to work on a number of tasks. You start by holding your monthly hearing of grievances, and find nothing noteworthy in the complaints. You make a few minor rulings, but it is mostly in regards to demarcations of fields and drunken arguments.

You also spend more time with the prisoner, who seems to be getting a bit worse for his captivity. He looks sickly, and you fail to gain any new information from him. You still suspect the Count, but it seems this road may be a dead end for now.

You ask Irlof about the wool merchant implicated, and he knows very little about him. Irlof promises to keep his ears open regarding him, though.

Writing to Marna, you tell her that you would like to pay court to her at her family estate. You mention that you are currently unable to entertain her in your lands, due to certain hostilities taking place. You hope to hear back from her shortly.

Irlof comes to you with good news, in that he has obtained the services of an architect for your lands during some wheeling and dealing. Progress is going well, with some of the exterior walls completed. He expects the work to be completed within two months.

Nearby your manor, you order the construction of stables, which you staff with grooms and stable boys. You also find some volunteers to oversee the training of the horses, as well as their breeding.

You send out notice that your town is looking for a silversmith, but receive no replies as of yet. You also send out notice that you are seeking an armorer, but for now the position remains unfilled. It is difficult to lure such skilled craftsmen into such a small town, it seems, but your growing industry may help in that regard.

While you have additional plans, that is all you can accomplish this month. What would you like to do going forward?

Wherein a City rebels and the Count Foles mobilises the County to War; Sir Stone witnesses his first field Battle.

---

Year 3, May

Early in May, you set some plans into motion, as you wish to travel in search of a shipwright. You have a hilly parcel of land near the communal farm designated as a vineyard, and instruct your farmers to begin cultivating grapes there. You also instruct Mr. Wood and the mechanic to start work on the lumber mill.

You also check in with Marge Kannity, who has a few small casks of beer on hand now. Her son, who is now nearly a year old, toddles around as you sample the beer. It is quite tasty, actually, and she offers you a cask for your personal use. You thank her, and have it sent to your house.

With those plans set in motion, you set out with Alan and begin searching nearby towns for an unattached shipwright. Your travels take you by the river, stopping in most villages. After a few stops, you happen upon a small shipyard, and strike up a covert conversation with the most senior apprentice, a man by the name of Morgan. He seems to know his stuff, and he is trapped under an overbearing master who refuses to promote him.

While you lack the money to set up a shipyard now, you tell him that you plan on putting one together in the near future. He tells you that he would love to work as your shipwright, and you strike an agreement. You will feed and house him, and build a shipyard by the end of the year. In turn, he will work to build ships for you, in addition to private work that will benefit him (which he will pay a small tax to you on). He tells his master of the arrangement, and the master reluctantly gives his blessing. You get the feeling that it was your intervention that motivated his decision.

You keep an eye out for books on your travels, but you don't find any in the small river towns you pass. When you return to your lands, you are met by Fin and Mr. Dent, who inform you that your liege lord has called up your levy. You are to march in strength to the Count's lands, where he is mustering forces to deal with rebels. What shall you do?

---

You marshal your forces, leaving the newest archer recruits to defend your town in your absence. You leave orders to Wood to finish the mill and start lumber harvesting, Irlof to work the market, and your steward to watch over anything else that comes up, including the new summer harvest and second planting.

You mount up, as does Alan, while your captain leads the troops. You have ten archers, ten spearmen, and five axmen, all of varying abilities. You travel to the Count's land, and when you arrive, you find about two hundred men camped around Folesden. You instruct your men to set up camp, and head for the command tent.

Inside, you find Count Foles deep in the drink. He wears a stained red and gold tabbard, and is dandling a buxom serving woman on his knee.  You also see Sir Denton, wearing a chainmail shirt, and Sir Percival, in studded leather armor. The two knights are deep in conversation with two other men, who you have not met yet. One wears a padded leather jerkin and has hard features, while the second is an older man with wise eyes.

Foles bellows when you enter. "About damn time you arrived, Sir Rock. These wastrels are in the process of forming a plan to crush the bastard rebels." He gestures to the group with his cup. "Go on, then."

You walk over to the group, and are quickly introduced to the two other men. The tough looking one is mayor of Curbiston, John Jefferson, and the older man is the Count's marshall, Sir Uriel Lope. They quickly get you up to speed. The rebels overthrew and slew their master, a knight by the name of Sir Joffin. They are estimated to have between one and two hundred men at arms, likely of dubious training and equipment. They are several days travel from here. Now that you have arrived, the planning begins.

How do you suggest the situation is handled?


"Good morning, gentlemen. Do we know their armaments? How many will be rabble, do you estimate? And what are their fortifications, that we know of?"

Sir Lope speaks up. "The rebellion is being led by Sir Joffin's militia. We estimate that roughly fifty of them will be well-armed and drilled, with the remainder being no more than farmers hastily drafted and pressed into service. The militia was mostly pikemen and spearmen, if I recall correctly."

"Mm. I see. What do we currently know about their fortifications? I have ten archers, some quite good and others closer to the moderate side, do you suggest a mass archer rank providing covering fire as we rush? Do they have any cavalry?

"Sir Joffin's land is mostly flat farmland, but he did maintain a small fort on a hill. However, I understand that it was burned to the ground during the initial rebellion. So they may use the hill for archers, but I doubt they have anything more than makeshift fortifications on the hill at this point. We will most likely end up using your archers for a few volleys before we crash in with our horse.

"As far as I know, they are unlikely to have any mounted troop. Count Foles has traditionally supplied the cavalry contingent in our forces, so none of the rest of the Knights underneath him ever developed much beyond light horse."

"So what is the current plan?"


"Well, as of now, given that we don't know their exact disposition, we will march in force to their land. We will ask for their surrender. If they fail to provide it, we will deploy for battle. Archers will loose a few volleys, light cavalry will keep them penned in, then heavy cavalry will charge. Spears will protect the archers, while our other foot will advance behind the heavy cavalry charge to mop them up."

Why was the rebellion started?

"The rebellion, I believe, was started in response to..." His voice drops. "Sir Joffin was not a very effective steward of the land, and he was a cruel man. I imagine most of his subjects were glad to see him go, and are now working with the militia simply out of self preservation."


With the tentative plans decided, the war council convenes. The host mills about for a day or two, as Count Foles isn't quite prepared to march, but gets on the road by the third day. The going is slow. Heavy rains begin, and continues intermittently. What should have been a two day journey stretches out to three, and then four.

The host itself is quite impressive. Count Foles rides at the head of around 35 heavy cavalrymen, all awash in red and gold. About twice that number of light cavalry scout around the force. Archers make up about a quarter of the force, and the remainder is split between spearmen and other infantry.

You arrive late in the morning on the fourth day at the foot of a plain, hemmed in on one side by a river and the other by swampland. You see, off in the distance, a hill rising. Men mill about on the hill, clutching bows, peeking in between stakes driven into the ground. Behind the hill is a city, similar in size to Curbiston. Two large blocks of pikemen are drawn up to either side of the hill, and several horsemen mill about the flanks, along with what looks to be farmers with crude weaponry.

What would you like to do?


They are fortified, so drawing them out is a good idea. Standard tactic is having a soft center and harder flanks, so the enemy charge straight to pierce your ranks, and then you retreat and circle them.


Seeing the situation, you approach the Sir Lope with a plan. "Sir Lope. Perhaps we can modify our original plan... I would suggest placing the strength of our forces on the flanks. We could send archers forward to entice them away from the hill, and then crash in from the sides as they leave their fortifications."

Sir Lope considers it for a moment. "I'll run it by the Count, but I like it."

A few minutes pass, and then Sir Lope returns. "The Count is amenable to your plan, but... he insisted that, since it was your plan, you lead your archers out."

Negotiations commence that day, and last only a few hours. They are unfruitful. In the early afternoon, your forces are called up to battle. You are told to lead your troops out front, loose several volleys, and then retreat back when the trap is sprung.

Any final plans or strategies before you step out?


With the die cast, you lead your men out front. A few other squads of archers have been placed under your command, as well as a few dozen more spearmen for screening. The other elements of the army form up on your wings, in curved lines towards the hills.

You hoist your shield and began advancing. You quite cleverly thought to assign each archer a spearman, who straps his spear to his back and uses his shield to protect the archer as best he can. The men seem a bit nervous, but the veterans among them steel their nerves. The rebels seem anxious. You spot a man in chainmail atop the hill, shouting orders at archers who are pulling out their bows.

You reach the correct range, and give orders to begin firing in squads. The arrows fly true, raking into the archers on the hills and the pikemen squares arranged in front of you. Return fire is sporadic, and mostly inaccurate. You see a few of the conscripted farmers melting away from the battle, back towards the town.

After a few minutes, it is clear that your forces are superior archers, and the man in mail shouts out an advance. The pikemen begin a brisk march towards your force. You yell to pull back, firing intermittently as you do so. The pikemen are closing in on you, and nearly there, when a massive cavalry charge slams into both their flanks simultaneously.

Their formations fall into disarray. Your other men have moved up to join you, while the archers continue to fire on the enemy's rear ranks. You can either charge back in, hold off, or choose another course of action. What will you do?


Rally our men and attack from another angle if possible. Perhaps if we are lucky we can capture the leader.


You gather your men around you, and, seeing a hole in the enemy lines, you pull back slightly then loop around the melee. You find yourself at the bottom of the hill, which is still occupied by a few archers, a few swordsmen, as well as the mail-wearing man. Your archers begin loosing, taking out most of the remaining enemy archers. Your spearmen form up in a two-deep line, shields up to deflect arrows, while your axmen range about near you and Alan.

With a few arrows raining down, you advance as quickly as you can towards the hill. When you reach the bottom, you scramble up the sides, easily ducking between the stakes. Your men engage with the forces arrayed against them, and the battle is swift. Your overwhelming numbers mean you have little trouble taking down the opposition. You get in a few hacks with your sword, but are generally unchallenged.

"YIELD! I YIELD!" The man in the mail is screaming now, as he is on his knees, a spear at his chest and an ax poised over him. What shall you do?


Hold position, provide ranged support. It's up to the cavalery now, I suppose.


With the battle effectively won, you command your troops to hold the high ground. The melee rages for a few more minutes, with your archers picking off a few stragglers, but the day is yours.

Your men slump down, exhausted, and you are presented with the mail shirt. It fits you well, remarkably. You deliver the prisoner to the Count, who gives you a grunt of thanks. The Count speaks with him for a few moments before summarily cutting off his head. He barks out a hearty laugh, and then retires towards the army's camp. You only suspect he will be heavy into the drink this evening.

Sir Lope informs you that your troops will march back on the morrow. It appears, unfortunately, that the mayor of Curbiston was slain in the fighting. Sir Denton and Sir Percival came through unscathed. Your men, remarkably, sustained no major injuries in the fighting. Would you like to do anything before departing for Folesden?


Praise the men. praise them hard. 'cause we effectively curbstomped the ennemy there.
Also speaking with the others commander (except the count), to get acquainted with the two new ones and get Denton and Percival's feelings on what happened and what's going to happen.


You spend a few hours after the battle talking with the men, sharing in the drinking and feasting and lauding them for their exemplary performance on the field today. Several soldiers wander by your tents, and praise your men for the work they did on the battlefield.

Your men are growing in reputation, and it makes you proud to be their lord. They likewise look fondly on you, their leader and liege. You ask around to see if anyone recovered a banner or sigil to remember the fight by, but these rebels were without sign or creed... just men fighting for their land.

After dinner, you retire, leaving the men to be merry without having to worry about your presence. You head to the command tent, where Sirs Lope, Percival and Denton are speaking. They congratulate you on a battle well fought. You ask what will happen to the lands, and you are told that the Count will most likely hold them for the time being.

The people of the town... it seems likely that the Count will punish them, although the severity of that punishment is anyone's guess. This seems to sit uneasily with the other two landed Knights, while Sir Lope sees it as their just due for rising up against his master.

You spend the rest of the evening drinking wine and talking of the battle. The other knights admire your new mail shirt. The Count does not make an appearance, although you hear retching sounds coming from the direction of his tent at one point in the evening. You rise early the next morning, a dull headache combining with sore muscles from the day before.

Anything left to do but pack up and head home?


So before heading out, head to the counts tent, steel yourself before entering, and go inside. Try to convince him that the populace can be better used in your mines as punishment, making your land rich for taxing, breaking their spirit for rebellion, and allowing the count to populate this settlement with his own peoples, as well as punishing the farmer scum.


In the morning light, something still sits poorly about the situation with the townsfolk. You check amongst your men, having Fin and Alan work to ready them for the day's march. The men are hungover, but no worse for the wear. With that situation in hand, you head to the Count's tent, steeling yourself for an argument.

Two guards wave you in, reluctantly. As you enter, you are hit by the stench of booze and vomit. You see the Count lolling back on a pile of pillows, head swinging from side to side. You clear your throat, and the corpulent man jerks upright, fumbling for a dagger at his side that is, in reality, on a belt on the other side of the room.

"Eh? What? What do you want?"

You explain that you have been considering how to punish the rebels from this settlement, and have decided that you have an excellent place in mind for them. He listens with narrowed eyes as you describe the mines you are setting up, and how more labor would mean more tax money.

He rubs one of his chins in thought, glaring at you for a long minute.

"Yes. Yes. That will do. When I have Sir Lope investigate who participated in this foolish rebellion, I shall instruct him that the perpetrators shall have two choices: death or hard labor in your mines. Now get out of my sight."

You bow low, turning to walk out before a smile can creep across your face. You are pleased the whole ride home, and your men sing songs and tell jokes, their spirits high. This was a good day for you.

By the time you return home, the month of May is more than halfway done. The journeyman shipwright, Morgan, has arrived, and Mr. Dent set him up with a hut hut by the river. The vineyard has been set up, and it appears to be nicely done. The second crop is already in the ground, as well, and the market is in full swing the day you return. You peruse it, but there is nothing of note for a noblemen on sale yet; while bustling, the market still caters to the populace, which is still relatively poor.

June is just around the corner. You expect the former rebels to start arriving any day. What shall you do this month?

Nice roleplaying section, there, folks. Fun way to mix it up.

---

Year 3, June

With June's arrival, most of your farmers are concerning themselves with finishing the first harvest, making sure the second one has taken, and weeding their land.

You instruct Wood to draw up plans for the shipyard, along with Morgan. They take to it with a gusto, and by the end of the month have some detailed plans, that look to cost you a pretty penny. There are also plans to gradually build up the facility's capabilities, which would be cheaper.

With the rebel serfs starting to slowly trickle in, you instruct a few small community houses to be built north of the river, by the mines. You instruct the newcomers that they will be treated fairly, but that they must cooperate with your representative at the mines, Curtis Stumpf. Most seem appreciative of the opportunity to work off their transgression, rather than face the headsman's ax.

When reviewing what transpired during your several week absence with your Steward, he tells you that the potters have upgraded their kiln to a proper pottery complex, to support their growing trade. As this was done completely of their own initiative and with their own wealth, you merely smile at your good fortune.

You spend some time on your literacy and courtly manners, failing to make much progress in either. These pursuits are hard to throw oneself into so close after a life or death battle, it seems.

Your men begin training again, but you instruct Fin to go easy on the men, given their recent exertions. They ease back into training, and it is clear that an experience on the fields has improved their skills.

What would you like to do next month?

---

Year 3, July

In July, you set some plans into motion at the start of the month. You instruct Wood, who has finished work on the mill, to start work on a basic shipyard. You empty your treasury, and tell Morgan to purchase whatever he needs to get things going. With the money you've given him, he believes that capabilities will be limited at first.

The new workers are hard at work at the mines, and Stumpf tells you that much of the dirt has been cleared away from the area. He believes that they could easily start a functional granite quarry, as well as a deeper mine for minerals, if you were only able to finance an initial purchase of picks, levers, winches, and carts.

A second dock is set out by the first, improving the capacity to handle more ships. Most days see a trader pull up now, which is a definite improvement from the past. You could say that you have a dockyard, not a dock, now.

You have some tentative plans for building a new dwelling, some kind of tower, but you aren't quite sure whether or not you wish to act on them yet. Nonetheless, you instruct the mill to hold aside some of the lumber it cuts in case you wish to build it in the near future.

With events set into motion, you spend the rest of the month exploring the rest of your land north of the river. Your travels don't show up too much unexpected. Besides the mines north of the river, there is a forest where your trappers work and live, as well as a few homesteads. Your lands but up against a holding of the Duke's far to the north of the river, a few days ride through the forest. The forest gets thicker here, and your Steward informs you that these lands are mostly held as a hunting preserve for the Duke and his family.

When you return home, you have a letter waiting for you. You read it, albeit at a slow pace, and are delighted to see it is from Lady Marna. Her younger brother, Sir Melvin, whom you recall is the youthful man she was speaking with at the party, is organizing a hunt on the Duke's land in September. She is writing to inquire if her, her brother, and their party can call upon you at some point in that month for a visit, as your land abuts his.

How shall you respond, and what would you like to do in August?

---

Year 3, August

You dash off a letter to Lady Marna, welcoming her and asking particulars about when she'll be arriving. You then turn your eyes towards the town, which you decide is in need of a massive upgrade before her visit.

First off, you have Morgan begin work on a ferry (well, two ferries to be particular), post-haste. Then you find the most capable of the raft drivers, build him a hut by the best crossing site, and name him the pilot. You instruct him on how to collect tolls, with nobles obviously crossing for free. A second pilot is set up in a similar position on the other side of the river.

You also set Mr. Wood on upgrading the inn, which has existed in its current state for around three years now. With the new milled wood, the project goes smoothly, and comes off excellently. The new inn has wood floors, ten private rooms, a dedicated kitchen, two fireplaces lined with granite from the quarry, and an attic and second community sleeping room for common travelers. It is quite impressive, and you imagine it will bring much prestige to your town.

On the administrative side, you inquire with Mr. Dent as to the laws of the land. He knows most of them by heart, but he offers to send off a letter to the royal courts for a written copy. You tell Dent that you will most likely set up a system for hearing grievances. He agrees that it is a good idea, but would like some time to go over the laws with you before doing so. You agree to wait until you have the written copy of the laws to study.

During the days, you head to the barracks and pick out a bow, which you decide you should learn for hunting. Taking it out to the range, you find that you have a natural aptitude for the weapon, and are soon able to best even some of the experienced archers. You also note that, with you at the range, the men practice harder, and the green archers are now improved to regulars.

Towards the end of the month, a letter arrives from Marna. She will be arriving near the end of September, with a party of eight to ten. She looks forward to seeing you again, and cannot wait to see your lands.

You also hold a forum on the upcoming festival, which you say will be held during the visit from the hunting party at the end of September. The people seem agreeable, and some tell that word has spread far and wide. You expect the festival will be much larger this year. In addition to the martial contests, suggestions are given for cooking, farming, and craftwork competitions.

How will you prepare for September, the month of the big visit?

Thanks, I think the archive was needed with the size of this thing. For some reason I forgot how BBcode links worked. I've got all the way to the end of the first Viking war done in formatting.

Wherein the Town is watched by Brigand spies; The guard captain Tor Bismuth falls in a desperate Encounter; The neighbor Knight, Sir Percival, is visited for the first time and plans a social Event.

---

Year 2, September

Harvesting begins this month, with most of your resources devoted to the fields. The harvest goes well, with most of the fields producing as well as you expected. Your promise of a tournament next month to celebrate seems to have inspired hard work.

With your health still recovering, you decide to focus mainly on your reading this month. You progress slowly, but feel as if you are still improving. Practice makes perfect, after all.

As you are unable to train yourself this month, you send your squire to work with the militiamen. As this is the first year that you have had a standing militia during harvest time, they seem mostly distracted, and some even sneak away to ensure that their families have all the help they need with the harvest. You decide to go easy on them, but make sure that they return to their duties when you find them.

You continue to send guardsmen through town on watch. All seems well, until you are awoken one night a bit after the guards change over. Apparently, the men on patrol didn't return to the barracks on time. When they were searched for, they were found in a scuffle with some of the brigands. Amazingly, they had managed to drive off several men and capture one, without any casualties of their own.

The night is brisk as you walk to the barracks, where the brigand is held prisoner. What would you like to do?

Roleplaying, go!

---

"So... May I know the name of those who would attack my people?"

You enter the room dramatically, asking the name of the captured brigand with a flair.

He is bound hand and foot, and has a large bump on his forehead. He stammers at you.

"Curtis Stevenson." He mumbles. Tor glares at him, then thumps him in the stomach with swift punch. "You address Sir Stone as, M'lord, son, or there's more where that came from."

You ask him about the attack, and he mentions that the brigands are low on food. Tor interrupts, explaining that he has already gotten the man to tell him that there are 18 bandits total.

Pause as if in thought for a moment. "Who is leading your band, Curtis? I wish to hold a meeting between us. If I were to send a messenger, would he come back to me alive? Keep in mind, your future depends on the answer."

Curtis frowns. "M'lord Stone, our leader is a hard man by the name of Ox. And these are hard times. I can't promise your messenger would live, although..." He thinks for a moment. "If I were to accompany him and vouch for him... I believe you could get your message to him safely."

He looks up to you, a flicker of hope in his dull eyes.

"If I were to let you go, with a message, accompanied by guards, would that be satisfactory? Tell me, can... Ox, can he read the written word?" Turning to speak to a guard. "Come, get me some clean cloth and alcohol, let's patch these wounds and ready him for his journey home." Turning once again to Curtis. "If I gave you a message could you remember it word for word and repeat it?"

You brush off Curtis' offer, but decide it would be wise to send him along with some militia for guards. Curtis stares at you as you ask him if Ox can read the written word. "I don't rightly know, m'Lord. It never came up in our line of work."

As you have the guards clean him up, you tell him about your offer: join the community or be driven off or killed. His ears perk up when you mention working in the mines. "That's decent work, it is. A few of the lads have mined in their pasts, so I've heard..."

When you ask him if he could remember a message, Curtis rubs his head. "To be honest, m'Lord, my head is a bit fuzzy right now. Took a right solid thump from one of your boys, I did."

"No matter, I will have a guard of mine deliver the message." Write out a short contract of white peace, offering citizenship, equality, and employment for Ox's band if they will drop their arms and offer their loyalty to yourself, Sir Stone. Explain the letter and it's contents to the guard and tell him to, if they do not understand the letter to explain it to them.

"Tor, may I speak to you for a moment in private?" Slip out for a bit, speaking under your breath. "I need you to describe a location to me so you can set up a choice ambush, incase this meeting between him and I goes awry. Please inform the messenger guardsman of this location and a time when the sun is in your favor. That is when the meeting will be held. Thank you, friend."

Stepping back in. "Ready yourself, boys. We move on the morrow. Curtis, I can assure you, you will be returned unmolested." Offer a hand for a shake.

You go about your business, writing up the short contract. Your writing is cramped and unnatural, and you wisely instruct a guardsman in the contents of the message. Your squire wanders off to ready a cart of food for the brigands.

You speak with Tor, who nods as you explain your plan to have a safe fallback. He describes a copse of trees rolling over two hills, with a game path running between them. You agree that it will make a fine fallback spot, and decide that early afternoon would give you an advantageous position of the sun.

Stepping back in, you tell Curtis that he will be returned along with the guardsman tomorrow. He shakes your proffered hand, seeming to mull over what has gone on. A bit of hope lingers in his eyes.

With your plans in hand, you retire for the night.

--------

The sun is a bit past noon overhead. You have already sent two spearmen along with Curtis and your contract for Ox and his men.  You, Tor, Alan, ten archers and the other three spearmen wait, unmounted, half your forces on each hill. You figure that your man had probably arrived by now. Time seems to crawl.

After what seems to be forever, you hear the crashing of a chase through the bush. You glance forward, and see one of your spearmen, stumbling and wounded, running in your direction. There is no sign of the other. Behind him hulks the largest man you've ever seen, carrying a spiked club. He leads a misfit band of brigands, at least a dozen of which stream out behind him. You see Curtis among them, glaring angrily at your spearman.

You have a choice... you think that your man will be run down before the mob reaches your ambush spot. You can charge out and try and save your man, or you can wait, hoping he reaches the ambush spot. What will you do?

This is what I propose. Keep in mind we only have 3 spearman to their eighteen. That 6 people to 1. Including ourself, that is roughly 4 to 1. We will have to rely heavily on archers. Utilize routing techniques when possible. That is how we will win this I think.

your numbers bring up a good point, im hoping the arrows will throw them into dissaray. but this can go very badly

Time seems to slow as the mob of men rush towards your spearman. You realize that you can't leave him strung out there alone to die, and give out a yell. Your archers, having turned towards the brigands, are ready, and they let loose a quick volley. It is brutally effective on the relatively unarmored brigands, felling six men and wounding the large one, whom you can only assume is Ox, in the arm. A few pause and duck behind trees, but there are still about eight coming your way, including Ox.

As you lack a horse at the moment, you instruct your infantrymen to rush forward and form a line. The three spearmen plus Tor make the center, with you on one flank and Alan on the other. You reach your stumbling man, who rushes past you. Before your archers can get another volley off, the lead brigands crash into your lines.

The fighting is quick and fierce. Three brigands go down in the initial charge, but they follow up and engage you up close before your men can get another spear thrust in. Two of the spearmen go down to clubs and wicked, short axes, and you are clubbed hard in the shield. The blow glances off and catches your hip, stinging you badly. You stumble back, and find Ox has bowled over Tor and is standing over him.

You desire to engage the brute, but the man in front of you has your attention. You swing clumsily, and he strikes down on your sword with his club, sending the weapon flying out of your hand. You almost panic, but you slam into him with your shield and buy a moment as he stumbles back to recover your weapon.

As the man swings wildly at you, you stay low on one knee and cut out his stomach, guts spilling crudely onto the forest floor. You turn your attention back to the melee. Alan has sunk his sword into the shoulder of Ox, but you see that Tor's head has been smashed in to a pulp by the massive man's club. Alan is also bloodied and lying on the ground.

Roaring in anger, you charge the wounded giant, stabbing at him frantically. He smacks at your sword with his club, but you manage to hang on. He rears back to strike at you, but an arrow takes him in the thigh. He doubles over reflexively in pain, and you dispatch him with a swift chop to the neck.

Seeing their leader fall, the few remaining brigands break. The archers on the hills take care of a few more, but you are certain that several, maybe five, have escaped.

You take stock of the damage. Tor is dead. Alan merely had his wind knocked out, plus a few minor cuts. Out of your original five spearmen, only two remain alive. The archers are uninjured. Your hip stings fiercely. You sit for a moment, catching your breath. What now?

Scour the field, takke what you can from the brigands, namely those axes. Bring the dead back. We have funerals to prepare.

When we have settled and have the bodies set up for funeral, make the short ride to a close by cathedral and bring a priest back to give prayer and proper burial. Have the potters begin sculpting small grave stones.

A few moments pass, as you assess the situation. You have Alan head back to the town to gather a cart for the dead. You also instruct him to have a runner sent to the nearest cathedral, most likely the one in Folesden, to fetch a priest. You also have him pass word to the potters to make up some markers for your fallen.

Alan heads off, and you prepare the bodies. You linger on Tor, trying to make him look presentable, but eventually give up. The forest is quiet now, save for a few birds. You grab some of the axes that fell in the conflict, and a few loose coins that you find laying about.

Soon the cart arrives, and you somberly make your way home. You will hold the funeral when the priest arrives, probably in October.

End RP section. Tough rolls there. I would have liked it if Ox had become a good friend to you. Alas, sometimes you roll a 1. Now accepting October suggestions (remember, common man tourney and taxes).

---

Year 2, October

October starts on a somber note, with the funeral of the three dead spearmen and Tor. A local priest arrives, and you deliver a nice eulogy for the men. People are still shaken by the first conflict the area has seen in a while, but they are proud of their men. You talk up the battle, trying to make the fallen sound heroic, but are not sure if you have succeeded. You are still not a master of words yet.

Most of the month is spent finishing up the harvest. You send Irlof and Dent to town several times, exchanging pottery, furs, and a portion of the food given as taxes for hard coins. You finally have a small town treasury, which for now you simply keep in your house. As your Steward helps you understand, the money is technically all yours, but customarily the majority of it should be spent on helping the land grow stronger.

The harvest finishes, and the haul was about average. Between the communal farms, the taxes in food people pay, and the trappers, you have a medium supply of food for the winter.

Towards the middle of the month, the tax collector from the Count arrives. This time, your Steward and Irlof are around, and make sure that the tax collector is less severe in his reaping. Still, he takes a good chunk of your coins, probably about 10%, in addition to some pottery and grains.

All month, you notice more and more people streaming into your land. You are not sure whether it is because word of your banishing the brigands has spread, or what, but it is definite. Many of them settle in the city, probably due to the now expanding market, but also because there are several barrack-style buildings for new arrivals that Wood had constructed on his own initiative.

At the end of the month, you gather the people for a common-man's tournament. You set up brackets for weightlifting, throwing, wrestling, archery, and riding. The women of the land, independently, set up their own contest for the fairest maiden to be held simultaneously. It is, simply put, a smashing success. The people laugh and enjoy themselves. Many merchants stop and set up shop for the days the tournament is held. At the end, you throw a feast, and buy a keg of beer to share with the winners. All in all, it seems to have repaired any uncertainty about your leadership caused by the deaths of some of the men.

During this time, Wood begins work on a palisade, as well. He gives the town plenty of room to grow. The project will likely take a few months to complete. He spends this month digging foundations, knowing that the ground will freeze soon.

What would you like to do next month?

---

Year 2, November

November is mild this year, which suits you well, as you have a good deal of travelling planned. You bring Marge Kannity along, in order to pick out a still, as well as Irlof, who has become your de facto adviser in all things money and trade. Alan also accompanies you, wary of leaving you alone without a guard.

You head to the abbey first, where you find the monks much more amenable to selling you a still this time. They seem to have bought one too many last year, expecting more turnover in their stock than they had, and now have an extra one lying around. Irlof is able to negotiate an unbelievable price for it, and you purchase it without any issue. You send Marge back to Feroshire with it to start setting up shop.

You continue your journey towards Sir Denton's land, and you attempt to put in for a visit, but he is apparently off visiting his wife's family. You poke around in his town looking for a saw for a mill, but are unable to locate one. While you are in the area, you head to Sir Percival's land to check there. You almost immediately stumble across a logging camp, which incidentally has a few extra blades for sale. Irlof once again negotiates a stunningly good price, and you send him back to Feroshire with the blades and instructions for Wood to start drawing up plans.

While in the area, you decide to visit Sir Percival. Alan goes ahead, and when you arrive, the two men are sitting in the drawing room of his small estate. What would you like to talk about?

Roleplaying, go!

---

*bow*
"Good day, sir. I was passing by, so I thought it would be polite to meet you. How are you doing?"

"Ah, Sir Stone. I have been well since our last meeting. I have heard tell of your growing town and flourishing land. How have you been?"

"Mixed but over all well. I make this trip on accounts of business. I had intended to seek out a saw for my planned mill and a still to finish my meager brewery... My land has suffered it's first loss recently and the people still mourn, despite not speaking of it. I mention this because among the dead was my military advisor. Tell me sir, how did you come to meet your military advisor?

Sir Percival looks concerned as you mention the loss your people suffered. "Yes, Alan was speaking with me of your clash with those brigands just before you arrived. I can see how that would shake your people. I understand that it didn't exactly go to plan, but that your side prevailed."

"As far as my military advisor, I met him while campaigning with the King during the last war. I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your man."

"He died bravely, if those ruffians ever return i will be sure to deny them quarter. I would like to offer thanks for both your condolences and all of the help and advice you have offered. I suppose that many men at arms have found themselves short of work now that the war is over.

Would it be precocious of me to try and fill my ranks from those now turned vagabond in your land?"

Sir Percival sits back, fingers steepled in thought. "Hmm... I know of a good man, a soldier who fought under me, who may be looking for work. But I haven't seen him around recently. I will put out feelers around town and send him your way if I can find him."

"You are very kind, and your help is appreciated, is there any service you in turn would ask of me?"

He thinks for a moment. "If I had done you any real service, perhaps I would ask a favor in return. Perhaps your favor can be to continue growing your land, so that my people may trade with yours and together we may grow prosperous."

"I want to ask you for one more advice Sir Percival. I am tired of a lonely life. I desire to have a spouse, to have sons that will continue my work. But I don't know where should I look for my second half"

"Ah, well that I can help with. I am hosting a feast in January that will have many eligible ladies in attendance. You are most welcome to attend. I have heard of men meeting their wives in many places, though... tournaments, dances, festivals. Just keep your eyes open."

He pauses, considering his next words. "And if what Alan says is true, perhaps you should improve personal house. I understand that a desirable home can be important for noble ladies..."

"Thank you very much."

You take your leave, and return home. The rest of the month passes without incident.

Suggestions for December, go!

---

Year 2, December

December is unusually mild this year, with no snow on the ground. The people are well-fed and sheltered given the mild weather, and the trappers continue to pull in game even in the winter.

Marge sets up her brewery, and even manages to start up her first batch of beer, even though it won't be ready for a couple of months.

You spend most of your time working on etiquette and rhetoric with your squire and steward. The progress is slow, but you started from nothing, so that is to be expected. You imagine that you would still offend most high-born people at a fancy dinner, and your rhetorical skills are less than eloquent.

With the river still unfrozen, you manage to entice some more merchants in for future trading. Word is that your land is growing in reputation as a spot for trading, and you expect that next year's markets will be even busier.

You continue to work on your house, but you have more or less done all the minor repairs that you can on it. The next step would be to spend your remaining money on furnishings, or to start saving up for a new house.

Wherein Sir Stone has an Audience with his Count, a drunken Wretch; and the ruined Merchant Irlof disturbs his Sleep.

---

Year 1, July

The heat of the summer is oppressive this year, and you feel rather hands-off. You simply instruct young Master Wood to start up an organized group of woodcutters and carpenters. You instruct him to spend this month honing techniques and stockpiling supplies. He agrees happily, and sets to work.

Meanwhile, you decide it would be a wise idea to visit Count Foles downstream, in order to pay your respects and get a feel for the man. You set off with your old brown mare, sword strapped rakishly to your hip. You feel as though you cut an imposing figure, compared to the rabble that makes up your people.

The journey itself takes several days before you reach a small town, although it is much larger than your own. You ride in and find out that this is in fact one of the Count's minor villages, and are instructed to continue riding for another day or so. They explain that he has a small palisade outside the county seat, which goes by the name of Curbiston.

After staying with a generous innkeeper for free, you ride the next day, and find yourself awed by the size of Curbiston. You have never seen a village this size. Children run through the streets, a busy market is bustling. You ride through the center of the village, and make your way towards a small hill overlooking a turn in the now much wider River Parlon. Perched on that hill is a stout wooden palisade.

You make your way to the gates, and after a brief explanation of who you are, you are brought inside and led to a small stone building. Inside, you are brought into a cozy chamber, with a high window that lets in the breeze from the river. You sit for a few minutes, which stretches out into many minutes. An hour passes, and you stand to leave, when an oaf of a man barges in from another door.

You smell the drink on him immediately. He is fat and disheveled, with a wild look in his eyes. You begin to question whether this is in fact the Count, but a closer examination reveals that his stained clothes are of a fine material, and his hands are covered in silver rings with bold gems inset.

He staggers towards a stout oak chair and flops down. Eyeing you up and down, he practically vomits the words out. "Who in the bloodly hell are you, and why should I care?"

This, my fine players, is a role playing segment. Feel free to jump in.

---

But proper greetings are in order. I am Sir Stone, my lord, Lord of Feroshire, as I said before, the modest village upstream. I felt it necessary to meet my count before setting up shop anymore than I already have.

He glares at you for a moment. "Upjumped shit-farmer by the looks of you... Ain't never heard of a Feroshire, either... Last I checked, there wasn't anything worth a fart upstream of my lands, and you don't have the look of someone who can change that."

He shifts slightly in his seat, snorting slightly. "Well, then, I guess that means you'll be paying me some taxes, then?"

"Perhaps. That's one of the issues I came to discuss."

He seems slightly surprised. "Good, good. I have to pay the bastard Duke every autumn harvest, so... you have to pay me every autumn harvest. I'll be sending my tax collector out your way in a few months, then. Better make it worth my while."

He turns away from you and shouts incoherently. A few moments later, a servant arrives with a single mug of ale. The Count sips it and eyes you warily. You aren't sure about the propriety of it, but you feel as though it is a slight that he is drinking without offering you refreshment.

"You'll also need to provide troops, should I so need them. You don't look like much of a fighter, boy. I would have snapped you in half back in my day..." He trails off, leaving an awkward silence hanging in the tiny room.

Possibly, but normally a cudgel is my weapon of choice and I can did get "up- jumped for exhibiting valor on the field of battle... At the moment, able bodies are the only resource I seem to have in excess. The armor and weapons to clothe them may be problematic, especially at this time... My liege, you must know how development can make or break a small project. This project requires a specialist or two if it is to be lucrative to you or I.

 As far as taxes go, if crops are an acceptable substitute, you can expect them as soon as your tax collecter makes rounds.

He eyes you, blinking twice. "Specialist? Well... I've got me a Steward's apprentice who I caught eyeing my daughter the other day. Be good to get him out of my damn hair..." He runs his hand through his greasy, long hair. "He'll be accompanying you back to... Fer... Fire... your damn town."

"Crops... will do for now. Your neck of the county has never been worth taxing much anyway, no wealth... but extra crops are always welcome." He pats his belly appreciatively. "However, I do prefer coin. Make sure that you have some by next year."

"As for the soldiers... just make sure they're ready when I need them. I am an infantryman by training. Make of that what you will..." His biting tongue is wearing out a bit, and he seems to be growing disinterested in you.

"Is that all, Sir Rock? I have business to attend to." You highly doubt that.

Yes. Thank you for the audience my leige. Where may I find your steward? Promptly stand and bow.

As you stand and bow, Count Foles screams, and a servant appears. He mumbles something to the haggard looking man. "I've sent word for the damn Steward boy to meet you at the gates."

You quickly exit the room, refreshed by the absence of stale beer in the air. Walking out, you wait a few minutes, and then see a sharp looking young man with intelligent eyes walk towards you from a group of tents, leading a horse. "Sir Stone? My name is William Dent. I understand that I am to be your Steward? Shall we ride?" He lowers his voice. "I also understand that Count Foles is none too pleased with me at the moment, so I apologize for any haste."

With that, he mounts his horse, which you note is a much healthier specimen than your own, and starts it walking towards the gates.

You have a pleasant journey back to Feroshire with William, with little of note on the ride home. Work has progressed, and there is now a stockpile of adequate looking lumber for use as you command. What shall you do in August?

---

Year 1, August

You spend the month of August devoting time to learning more about your people. Amazingly, there are some very talented individuals living on your land, despite its relative poverty.

You meet Ian Hermage, who used to be an assistant cook in an Archbishop's palace. You immediately offer him the position of your personal cook, with a roof over his head and a constant source of food. For the time being, you ask him to work in the inn and cook meals for the townspeople. As he had previously been struggling to survive as a fisherman, he gladly accepts.

Another person of interest is Marge Kannity, who you learn is the daughter of a well-known brewer. She left her father's household when she became pregnant outside of marriage, and is now struggling to raise her son on her own. She is very knowledgeable about the brewing process, and seems eager to attempt to set up her own brewery. You would have to find a way to support her at the start, though.

You also find that there are a few skilled potters in the area, who have dabbled in creating urns and vases from a thick red clay that lines the river. Their work is quality, although they lack the facilities to produce work worthy for sale at the moment.

Your stewards is also taking this month to familiarize himself with your lands, and the legal decrees which granted them to you. He has nothing to report yet, but will most likely by the next month. He also says to expect the tax collector in two month (October). At the moment, you have a meager supply of food in your communal warehouse.

---

Year 1, September

Another month passes, and your young town continues to grow. You consult the potters, and set up a community kiln down by the river banks. First, crude ovens are set up to fire bricks for the structure, which is then designed to the potters' specifications. The resulting building, placed near the banks, has two permanent small kilns and a moderately sized storage area.

The farms are also completely overhauled. With the help of your trusty steward, irrigation trenches are dug, and several abandoned plots are consolidated and added on to the communal farm. Additionally, several plots much too large for inexperienced farmers are divided up into more manageable chunks of land. These changes attract a few new farmers, and boost your communal production. You now have a mediocre supply of food in the warehouse.

Back in the town, a small addition to the inn is built, enclosing a small kitchen. Mr. Hermage seems pleased, and the quality of meals increases noticeably. There are usually a few people hanging around the inn most evenings now, bartering for food, discussing their days, and even throwing dice.

You also notice that there are now a few huts in Feroshire, mostly populated by the potters and the workers of the inn. It is still rather meager, but you feel proud having built it in a few short months from effectively nothing.

Rumors reach your ears this month of some rough characters who have set up shop further up the river, but still on your lands. Your steward reports that he saw their camp from afar while surveying earlier in the month, and stayed clear of them. He is unsure what you can do about them, given that there are no trained soldiers on your land.

---

Year 1, October

A crisp air blows throughout your lands, as the harvest season rolls around. While your changes to the communal farm last month are too late to have much of an effect on the harvest this year, you feel confident that next year will be much more plentiful. As it is, the harvest is rather mediocre.

As you work on overseeing the harvest, a tax collector arrives from the Count. He is a sneering man, and he eyes your stores lustily. He loads up two carts worth of goods, probably about 25% of your stores. Your steward was out surveying for minerals when the collector arrived, so you were unsure whether this was an appropriate amount. By the time your steward returned that evening, the collector was already gone.

Upon asking Dent, he seems a bit miffed. "Perhaps that was a bit too large a tax, but I am sure the collector was instructed to push us around a bit. I doubt the Count looks kindly upon us." On the plus side, Dent excitedly explains that he has found what he believes to be a promising outcropping of rocks on your land, north of the river, that may hold valuable minerals.

This new lifts your spirits as you ride towards Carshire, seeking out unemployed archers to serve as trainers for your militia. You search for a week, and are mostly fruitless until your final day. You step into an inn and flop down on a stool, and are about to order an ale when a sinewy older man sits down next to you. You begin talking, and learn that he is a former bowman in the King's army, but currently working as a fletcher.

Hearing this, you propose that he come work as a trainer for your militia, in return for a plot of land and a home. He seems agreeable, and offers to bring several men in similar situations with him as well. You agree to this, and he states that he will show up next month after getting his affairs in order.

---

Year 1, November

A cold snap tells you that winter is on the way. You consider a trip to see Sir Denton, but decide that with the unseemly fellows lazing about on your land, your time would be better spent arranging for militia training to begin. Five archers arrive from the town and set up shop on the parcel of land you designated for them. After a short discussion, they also decide to set up a small bowyer's shop operating out of the house on the land.  In effect, the house has become a bare bones barracks and armory.

You go to your people looking for volunteers for a militia, and with the harvest in for the year, you find ten volunteers. They begin training with the archers on bows and staffs. They have a long way to go, but they are working at it. Of course, they will most likely return to the fields in the spring (unless you find a way to compensate them somehow), but they will train over the winter nonetheless.

After putting her off for this long, you attempt to devote some resources to building a brewery for Marge Kannity. The wooden building itself is built, but your realize that you lack the capital to purchase a still for her, or the resources to build her one. She is quite upset that she cannot start brewing, although she appreciates the shelter for the upcoming winter.

With the ground hardening, you decide that it would be too difficult to get to work on any permanent defenses at the moment. You feel that this winter will be a cold one.

---

Year 1, December

Your intuition was correct. December is harsh and cold, with driving snow for most of the month. You find yourself huddling in blankets at night, fretting that this is no way for a lord to live. However, your people are not much better off, and they seem to appreciate the way you struggle with them.

They see you traveling from house to house, checking on firewood supplies, and they smile and nod. When you catch word of a few families that were sheltering in the woods, you offer them run-down farmhouses that were sitting abandoned. Similarly, a few new huts are put up in the main town, and the population nearly doubles, reaching 15 souls as the dead of winter sets in.

As you go about these tasks, you notice that people are smiling at you more and dropping their head slightly in respect on seeing you. You feel as if you are beginning to win the people over. They begin to talk with you about their wants and needs more freely. At the moment, many are pleased with the development in the area and simply wish for it to continue safely and surely.

During one dark night, you bring up your inability to read to your steward, Mr. Dent. He agrees to start working with you on your reading an writing during the dark winter months, when not much else can be done. Using a ragged copy of some long-forgotten decree of the Duke that your steward has on him, you begin the difficult work of learning these important skills.

The work is grueling, but by the end of the month, you have begun to recognize simple, common words like "and," "the," "of" and "for." You also have managed to learn how to sign your name by rote memorization. This will be a long task, but you are pleased at the progress you've made.

---

Year 2, January

January rolls around, and you continue to check up on your people. Winter continues to be very harsh. You continue your lessons, making continued progress. Mr. Dent is impressed by the speed of your progress. You master your alphabet this month, although your writing is still crude.

You consult with some of the locals, and decide to set up some basic snares around the outskirts of town to catch game. To your surprise, you manage to snag many rabbits, squirrels, and even a young deer. This food greatly helps out your somewhat flagging stores, and you don't hear of anyone starving this month. With this success, several men devote much of their time to this pursuit, becoming novice trappers.

You also decide it would be appropriate to check up on the bowyer and the potters. The bowyer has been having difficulty producing good bows, as none of the wood chopped prior to his arrival was selected with bows in mind. They are fine enough to train your militia with, but they are shameful quality and would not pass muster for real battle. The potters are faring much better, and there are several pieces that catch your eye as possible gifts for visiting your neighbors.

One night, however, you awake to hear a banging on your front door. It is not a knocking. It sounds like someone is trying to kick it down. What do you do?

Roleplaying section, go!

---

Grab sword, wait for guy to reel back to kick and open the door(standing to the side) so he fall through the doorway then before he recovered bring you sword to his neck(not cut it).

Startled, you grab your sword from where it is hanging, near a post on your bed. You stalk towards the front door and wait a moment to catch the patterns of the blows. When you have it, you reach over and pull the door open right before one of the blows would have landed, sending a dark mass of a man stumbling through the now open portal.

Ask why you should give him mercy when he invade our house with a weapon.

You rush towards him, miraculously controlling your blade and placing it right against his neck. The man flinches, then drops a club that he was carrying. He stares into your eyes, and you see desperation in them. "Please sir, mercy... mercy..." He practically whimpers.

He stutters when you question him. "M'lord, times have been tough. I was once... a great man. But that bastard Count ruined me! HE RUINED ME!" A glaze of anger flashes over his eyes, which quickly subsides when you give him a rough reminder that you hold a sword to his throat. He calms slightly, but still simmers.

"I was a great merchant captain. The bastard count seized my stores and burned my ships on some trumped up charge. Truth was, I had too much power, and he couldn't deal with it."

"I've been on my own for the last two months. Living in the woods. I saw this house, and the smoke coming from the chimney... I just snapped." A tear comes to his eye. "Please forgive me, my lord. I swear that you won't regret it."

He starts sobbing as you remove the sword from his neck. You give him a moment to compose himself, explain that this night did not happen, then tell him that there is a market in the town that might be useful for a man of his talents. You ask his name.

"Irlof, my lord. Victor Irlof." He thanks you profusely before heading back out into the cold night. You have trouble getting back to sleep that night, but you see him the next morning in the market, talking quietly with a few of the potters. He catches your eyes and nods to you, a half smile on his face.

End roleplaying segment. Proceed with suggestions for February (notable for being your birthday).

---

Year 2, February

The cold from January extends further into the year than you expect, and you find yourself once again riding from household to household, making sure that everyone has what they need to get by. Thankfully, everyone is fine, with the occasional house needing some support from the food stores, which are starting to run low again. On the plus side, staying atop your horse in deep drifts of snow has actually improved your riding skills somewhat.

Although you had plans to do construction on the dock this month, the weather is simply too ghastly to fathom it. Likewise, you still lack the materials or coins to purchase a still for the brewery, and the market is likewise not able to be improved with the ground frozen solid.

Your reading progress has hit a bit of a wall, and you feel as if you've hardly learned anything at all this month. Mr. Dent suggests perhaps you could purchase a book designed to teach reading in the spring, as he feels that the subject material certainly isn't helping you along.

You go to the barracks, to attempt to set up a watch, but you find that without proper winter furs, it would be murderous to station men outside all night. You manage to get your men to agree to send out two patrols every night to loop through the town, but there will be no men on permanent watch until the weather breaks.

You make contact again with Mr. Irlof, and inquire into his housing. You find that he has bunked together with several of the potters, and he has some grand ideas for the market in the spring. He will be riding to nearby towns to attempt to secure business, and he hopes that he can use some of the town's pottery for trading. You mention your desire to acquire a still for the brewery, and he nods his head in agreement. You feel that this man will be very useful to you in the coming year.

You also turn twenty. There is little fanfare, as you are far too busy to celebrate.

Introduction: Lordship is a long-running suggestion game, game mastered by Maldevious, in which players can suggest the actions of a medieval lord who was elevated from the peasantry for his bravery. The game has lasted long enough and the discussion is spirited enough that it can be difficult to read through it in a short time. With a recent hiatus challenging the memories of returning players, and the continual desire to encourage new players, the benefits of a more accessible condensed version are obvious. This is an archive. Let's try not to post here. 

Method: All the discussions for the usual monthly updates are removed. In the roleplay sections, which imply more immediate and focused communication between the Game Master and his players, with greater effort at characterisation, the most influential suggestions and debates are included to create a conversational feel. Maldevious' remarks are coloured red in the RP sections and the players are alternating shades of blue. Shades do not correspond to specific players, who remain anonymous.

Table of Contents
I. The Beginning -- Feroshire is founded amid Nowhere.
II. Year 1, July -- A Visit to his liege, the Count Foles.
III. Year 2, March -- Sir Stone meets Sir Denton.
IV. Year 2, September -- Brigands attack Feroshire.
V. Year 3, January -- Sir Stone charms Lady Marna at Dance.
VI. Year 3, May -- A City rebels against Count Foles.
VII. Year 3, September -- Marna visits the Feroshire Fair.
VIII. Year 4, January -- Assassins strike, and a visit to the Duke.
IX. Year 4, May -- A Tournament, and tampered Gear.
X. Year 4, September -- Stone proposes Marriage, a Scout is captured.
XI. Year 5, February -- Sir Stone seeks Justice, the Wedding arrives.
XII. Year 5, June -- Sir Stone duels Sir Owen, dark Rumours arrive.
XII. Year 5, September -- Stone defends his Town, the Kingdom beset by a great Foe.
XIV. Year 5, October -- The Battle of Torchester.
XV. Year 5, December -- A Son and a Woodland Encounter.
XVI. Year 6, May -- A Great Fair is Held.
XVII. Year 6, August -- The Succession Crisis Begins.
XVIII. Year 7, January -- Marshal Lope Assaults Curbiston.

Besides, it's interesting from a gameplay perspective too. There were rather few ideas about what to do with our village lately.

True. We've improved so much that improving it more seems silly, because we've got every single cool idea packed into it already, and more just crosses a threshold of disbelief.  Nevertheless, let's talk about the war.

We have to make this sales pitch to the Bandit King in person, you know. We have one month to get him on our side, drive off the raiders near Torchester, and do something about the King's situation. We do not have time to ping-pong representatives and go-betweens slowly between us. We have to make the contact in person now.

We take a small fast force, well-armed enough to breakthrough a trap, and we meet him in the next few days. This negotiation requires our personal finesse and face-to-face reassurances. Seal the deal now, and turn south with him.

We don't need to trust him any more than than Foles trusted us. If you are actually trusting the people that you rely on, you're doing it wrong. Keep your friends close, and enemies closer. Utimately, we will sneak the Rat into his forces to spy on him, though. I'm thinking that setting the Rat up as a pimp would be a good way to "break the ice" with a pack of shady young men. That is the Rat's call, though, so let's not bicker about whatever confidence ruse he chooses, but he will find a way into a freshly formed mob fairly easy. Besides how would he betray us to a pack of savage foreigners with a strange language?