Total War: Broken City

[Ragnar Lodbroke]

House Wallen

"What of the Doctor's question? Should all trade with the shattered lands stop?"

"To this, I will say what I think. I do not set party policy by miself, so I will ask my companions what is their opinion, and publish the Party's ideas on the matter. I only speak because I believe that a lot of them will agree with me.


First of all, let's just say that many of the warlords are the wrong kind of rulers for any kind of people. They promote war and violence, and keep their people opressed. Some of them are not the case, however.

Most of them sack the trader caravans and are a threat to them.
When we think that way, the first idea that comes to mind is that we should avoid all relations with them, and label them all as thieves.

And that would be horribly wrong.

We should think what is the first priority for the City. We should ALWAYS think that.
Our first priority must be our people, our fellow citizens. We need to feed each other and help each other, to live through this dreadful winter.

To do that, we need to trade and work, and the fact is that most of the city's exports come from the shattered lands. To stop such trade would be suicidal and idiotic.

So my answer would be no.

I would be open to the idea of making each warlord responsible for the caravans that went through their territory, and of course I would support to stop trade to a warlord who is considered a threat to the city or the realm, or that trades with inmoral goods such as slaves.

But stop all trade? Nonsense."

[Murska]

To stop all trade?

Ethically speaking, yes. However, in practice, it is not yet possible. We should explore alternatives, reduce reliancy and take control over the main resource areas for ourselves, thus strengthening our own economical position and providing much-needed stability instead of the opposite.

Wardens to Gear's Chosen

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They'll be prepared, of course. But if we direct our forces in a handful of powerful thrusts, they'll have to either divide their forces to the point of insignificance or leave most of their territory unprotected and be crippled.

You should retake the Gear. You have the right for your homes, after all. We will be moving towards the Bridge itself on a wide front.

[puppyavenger]

Gear's Chosen

On The Issue of the Wardens


The Shattered Lands are a cacophony of war and bloodshed, a forsaken land of dissonant crashed and inharmonious notes. Others have noted that organized gangs that would equal the bandit chiefs and black sorcerers which dominate the Lands exist within the city as well, as if that is a point in favour of dealing with them.

When something is corrupted and broken, the correct thing to do is not simply make do and make yourself comfortable. You cleanse the disease, you replace the broken parts, you redeem what has fallen and, if necessary, rebuild what must be destroyed. If Sav Atlus continues to exist purely by the whim of the parasites and detritus which isolate our city, then I would say that sorry situation should be corrected!

-From the (very rare) sermons of Marius Van Ryan
To the Wardens

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Very well then, excellent. As well, I've managed to secure the support of the Ram in the new year, if it's absolutely necessary.

To the Ram Revolution

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As a matter of friendship, may I request your permission to transport several contingents of Clockwork Swords through Runners City? They shall not stay any longer then absolutely necessary, I assure you.

[Thelonius]

Wardens

''So will you you leave the Traitor's Bridge in the hands of the Mercantile Guild?''

Vasari to Lord Wallen [6]

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''My public accusations against wardens were an act of desperation. Ultimately, my objective was to forestall wardens from taking traitor’s bridge.''

''It’s is my sincere belief, that their control over the main merchant route would be disastrous for the city. Sav altulus is endangered by their actions.''

''Then on the subject of guilds. Hearing your words makes me most happy. Every class, be that merchant or noble working together, is the path to prosperity.''

Right away, i must say, that i foresee great advances made with the airship technology. Every bit of effort went into advancing it and we are close to completing aeroyard. And of course contribution of the new coin would be most welcome. Let's hope your meeting with the technists guild goes well.

Fortune smile on the success of this venture. On your next point. Enormous favor indeed.

The meeting can be arranged. And i feel that most guilds would be willing to talk business, rather then politics. Let's not forget, that they are merchants, first. Key to their hearts is money.

Ergo, such generous person as yourself, will have no trouble finding common language with them. Still, you can count on my support.

Gods smile on you and may you Endeavors prosper.

Dr. Morden Vasari.

Lord Founder [PM] [Very Secret]

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Letter from Dr. Vasari, passed by Melissa Blaine

''Dear Lord Founder.''

''I’m considering various scenarios on how we can break the MU’s hold over the Blacksage District. Unfortunately the mental domination magic requires intense control and concentration to break. We have no hope of dispelling it on the battlefield.''

Sedation

''I have considered using a formula of mine, that will incapacitate any person, who ingests it within 24 hours. The delayed effect would mean nobody would realize what’s happening, before it is too late.''

''Alternatively, I can try making a formula, that interacts with person’s blood. In my studies I have observed, that when faced with danger, people inter in a special state, that dampens pain and boost energy. So my formula would incapacitate them, when they enter this state, once the fighting starts. Of course I’m concerned, that mental domination effects may inhibit this in the controlled people and that MU Mages may react differently to prospect of fighting. You have been fighting them both – if you could describe how they behaved in the battle, it would help me to determine, if this would work.''

Formula Delivery

''In compiling my Health Report I have obtained information on the drinking water and food in the Sav Altulas. A considerable amount of drinking water comes from the Brecombe Lake, to which you control access through Redress Street. It won’t be hard to arrange an addition of my sedative. We can also see about tampering with the few wells, that exist within Blacksage District.''

Rescue

''I have previously secured cooperation with the Anti-Librarian Coalition troops and you will back me up. If the incapacitation plan works, the afflicted mages and poor men, like Blackbrace Gang, would be taken into custody and the hold on their minds broken.''

''It would be advantageous to secure the Librarian, as I believe she knows a few things about the MU plans.''

My Role

''I will use my reputation to rally support against the MU and perhaps ignite some spark of resistance from their controlled puppets. I doubt I can break their spell, but perhaps it would be possible to give them pause and tax their controller.''

''I'm also considering distracting the puppetmaster, if only to deny his considerable power to our enemy. I fear it would be a rather dangerous confrontation...''



Captured Mages

''I believe that due to your strategy of using anti-Magic, you have many of the Librarian Mages kept prisoner. In the light of how they were under mental control of MU, I believe if it is broken, they can earn clemency by fighting against the villains.''

[OOC – Some preliminary planning…]

Zelmac: can you confirm, if there are prisoner Mages? Or whether adrenalin-linked incapacitation formula has a shot?

[Murska]

Of course not.

It's not like we'll be blocking the bridge. Traders and caravans can pass as they have before, provided they don't carry anything they shouldn't such as weapons to the Warlords. And, of course, the vast majority of security efforts will be directed towards searching inbound traffic.

[Thelonius]

Wardens

’’So if you are not given control over the Bridge, will you employ violence to take control? Because, if you say yes, I can hardly see, how you can deny extortion charge.’’

’’Now Mercantile Guild has dealt with smugglers, sought to secure the trade routes against Warlord attacks and assisted in the construction of the Council Road. I do not see what legitimate claim you have over it.’’

’’I also do not believe your assurances about leaving the trade intact, rather than taking advantage of your position of power. As for your intent of securing resources from Shattered Lands, while you are capable of intimidating and robbing merchants, I see no reason to believe your campaign against the Warlords would be successful.’’

Zelmac [PM]

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Does White Market trade in weapons to warlords? It appears Deplorian did, so I’m assuming his competitors are in the same buisness. Because that’s what Wardens stated they would stop, when they get Traitor’s Bridge.

[Eldan]

Blackfist to Doctor Vasari ´[6]

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Doctor:

We are currently busy cleaning up Fat Tippest and cooperating with the Technist's Guild in converting the mansions there into orphanages and houses for the poor and refugees. We have other projects, as well.

Be assured, however, that if you ever really need us, up to [7 military] can be ready to help you at any time. If you should need intelligence, simply give us the word, there is no place in this city our agents can not reach.

You are a good man, and you do good works.

[Grimsage Matt]

The Wardens

Yes, we agree that the warlords don't do such a good job of managing their own people, however, I ask you this. Would you rather have uneasy peace with a bully intill you can win, or have complete peace chained and ground underfoot of the Illarym? For now, we're stuck with the warlords, but what you fail to realize is that the reverse is also true. They can't afford to tick us off. Us cutting off trade with them would spark a war, because they need what we sell them. If we stop selling? The Wardens will have their unwinable war.

House Wallen

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Sure, what are you intrersted in?

[Murska]

No violence will be employed unless someone attempts to stop us, in which case it is not us who have initiated hostilities.

As for claims. No-one but the ruler of the City has a legal claim on ownership of the Bridge. Unlike, for example, the Sovereign Guild's Association, the Wardens claim no ownership. The most legal claim of outright ownership would likely be the one of King James. Regardless, the position is of significance to the city and inhabitants thereof and so should be properly taken care of.

As for the merits of the Mercantile Guild you listed, we would like to note that capturing a few smugglers while illegally smuggling weaponry to the Warlords themselves or posting guards on a few of their own caravans, or funding a road with little practical value that destroys strategic defensibility, traditional isolation of the inner districts and physical buildings within the City are not things of much praise. The Wardens themselves have caught several orders of magnitude more smugglers and protected more caravans during the decades of work. To note, not once have we destroyed the economy of the entire city, either.

Since you are clearly biased, do not believe anything we say, have no proof for any of your accusations and don't even try to resolve this situation in any way that would take into account the fair measure of both sides, we feel that you are unqualified to judge the matter and should cease and desist pursuing it further.


EDIT:

We've heard plenty about this 'unwinnable war' we're supposedly pursuing. It is quite interesting. Who among you counts yourselves as a master of strategy and warcraft, or even versed enough in those arts to even attempt to justify that claim? To my best knowledge, there are none among you who know more about the Shattered Lands than the Wardens do, not a single person in the city more skilled at the ways of true warfare. If someone wishes to contest this claim, please do prove me wrong on this. If we claim that a war is possible to win, then it is possible. And this one is not even particularly difficult, if approached in the correct manner.

[Copper8642]

The Heladuit Court

D. Esp: 4

To The Brotherhood of the Flowering Rose

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"I like to think I bring a bit of Summer with me everywhere I go! However, to be more direct, I think you misunderstand me, I don't want to be so forward. I'm not asking that you admit me to your Brotherhood right now, or even very soon. I just want to know more about you, as right now the idea is in my head. I will say that no matter your answer, and my decision, I will continue to do right by your if you do right by me, and we will make it through many Summers as friends if you'll let us.

[ragingrage]

The Silversmith's Guild

SGA
The Silversmith's Guild would like continued trade with the Wardens, with the possibility of Sav Altulas bringing civilization to them once the City is strong in its power.

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To Dr. Vasari:
We do have a long list of contacts, around 7 in total, and they would of course be available for your use. May we ask, however, what they would be used for?
In regards to providing military aid for you hospital, that is a more tricky situation. We could provide some help if you were attacked, but our forces are already small and out shops do require some protection against robbers and such.
Was there anything else we needed to discuss?

[oblivion6]

mercantile's guild

so trade with the warlords is illegal in your eyes then? i am quite certain there are several other factions in the city that conduct this very same arms trade.

if you had approached me regarding this matter yourself then i might have considered it. however if i had not heard from king james about this then you would have taken it by force. you never even offered to help with the warlords or securing the shattered-lands and instead engaged in a series of violent intercity wars.

to SGA[PM]

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they are planning the attack right now. Gears-chosen will be retaking the gears while the wardens will be concentrating on several powerful thrusts against me, forcing me to spread myself too thin or leave most of my territory undefended.

i do not believe i can win this war without outside aid. i am still concerned about whether king james will join them. i myself maintain many contacts but they have much more and could cripple my ability to defend.(atleast 9 ESP)

[Thelonius]

Wardens

’’I see. By your logic, doesn’t it not follow, that the warlords simply require the goods of the merchant caravans and by refusing to hand them over, the merchants are initiating hostilities. It appears the Warlords are as honest people as Wardens. Perhaps your hostility against them is misguided and you have much in common.’’

’’I concur that the Traitor’s Bridge should be in the hands of people, who serve the interests of the city. Therefore, Mercantile Guild has a much stronger claim then Wardens.’’

’’I do not deny that the Wardens have been fairly accomplished caravan guards. It’s an honest and useful occupation. You should have stayed as such and didn’t aspire for something beyond your ability and comprehension. A misguided ambition has led to fall of many. So far I have not seen any signs of greatness in you, merely competence. That is not enough. Perhaps, you are distinguished from other dime-a-dozen sellswords by the power of your obsession, but that particular trait usually tends to end in tragedy.’’

To Mages Ubiquitous, Addressed To S.M. [6]

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Mag. M,

’’In our previous correspondence, you have accused me of involving myself in the affairs I had no business in. I do not think it a fair accusation, considering I’m a civil servant of this city and your affairs involve the physical and mental condition of my charges.’’

’’I realize that your organization prefers to act in the areas without centralized power and after the death of Mistress Desoui, Sav Altulas could be considered as such. However, I believe that you are acting under a misapprehension as of the extent of the current divisions and on how long this state of affairs is going to continue.’’

’’The Magic of Sav Altulus belongs to the Sav Altulus and neither I nor other citizens of our fair city appreciate your actions in appropriating it. You have enjoyed a considerable success so far and had a free hand in Blacksage District for the past two months, but I assure you, this state of affairs isn’t going to continue. Sav Altulus will not stay shattered and you can no longer hide in shadows.

’’I apologize for not ending this message with customary courtesy of wishing the best for you, but while I hold no personal antipathy towards your persona, beyond general dread and hatred of your organization, it would be most convenient for me, if you were to drop dead of a brain aneurism, after reading this letter. It would also prove that the Gods are just and merciful, but I suspect I’m not going to find a reason to embrace religion in the morning papers.’’

Blackfist Brotherhood [6]

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’’I may have need of anything you can offer me soon enough. I’ll contact you later to explain the situation.

SGA [PM]

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Silversmith Guild & Sausage Guild

I will explain my need for your services, but first I must verify a few things.

Wardens

''Perhaps we can counteract the Gear's Chosen by UAL. They are thugs. But something tells me their loyalty is for sale. If we make a contingency to purchase their assistance in helping Technists Guild, Heladuit Court and Silversmith Guild to expand their influence in Triphage Untima and Smokeyards, should Gear's Chosen act against Mercantile Guild, we can force them to cut their losses in their actions against the Mercantile Guild.''

''We have certain advantage in that gunpowder weapons of the Wardens are less efficient, though we mustn't forget about the blade of their assassin.''

Zelmac (Updated) [PM]

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Can I contact the Speaker for Laheim in Jack's Run? Theoretically the soldiers have given me directions and it's not yet under the Gear's Chosen control.

Hath Poisoner's Society - who are these guys? A society of assassins?

Wild Mages - why aren't they in Blacksage District?

[Zemalac]

UAL to Gear's Chosen (2)

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Always is, guv.

Dreumont to Gear's Chosen (6)

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I suppose, though I do not accept the idea that we owe the scum who live there anything. The Run is a pit, nothing more, and nothing that you throw into it to help its inhabitants will ever come back out.

Ragnar Lodbroke (PM)

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Politics: Not really. He was trying to buddy up with Orthax, but then you recommended Orthax for the diplomatic service, which got sent to Verdan last month.

If you forgot to spend WEL, then it is automatically saved for the next turn. (just as a note, if you spend too many turns saving WEL, professional thieves may try to pull a heist on your vaults).

Brotherhood of the Flowering Rose to Heladuit Court (4)

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Well spoken, friend. Let roses bloom.

Mages Ubiquitous to Doctor Vassari (6)

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Dear Sir,

I am not entirely sure what you wrote in your previous missive, but after reading its contents my master almost immediately passed out, and died before healing magic could be applied. As a precaution, your letter was subsequently burned, and okay I can't keep a straight face while writing this. Wouldn't do to waste ink by spilling it with a mirthful hand, would it? You have to admit, that would have been a good joke! If I'd been able to put pen to page without laughing, that is.

Open your eyes, Doctor! You say that this city will not stay broken, even as it tears itself apart around you! What noble sentiment, what righteous prose, and yet what a dim reality! You have seen the cracks begin to grow, even as recently as yesterday! A well-meaning man speaks out against what he sees as extortion and bullying of simple merchants, and once again the city splits in twain, adding yet another fracture to the whole! Can you not see it, Doctor? This city is not shattered, it is shattering! Sifters leaking through like sand are not all that you have been distracted from! All I would have to do to turn Sav Altulas into a burning ruin, an emblem of the Shattered Lands at large, would be to reach my hand out and tap.

I have already had time and more for what you fear, Doctor, and for things far more grand. Do not seek to test me. This will be your final warning, for though I know you to be a good man I have never let good men stand in the way of business.

With much love,

Stirling Majus

Thelonius (PM)

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White Market: Yup. That's pretty much the entire reason that Kerriglass and MecLochire are there at all. Their current opinion is that the Wardens are just talking bluster as part of the local politics, since there has been no attempt to get them to stop selling to the warlords.

Speaker for the Houses: Please refer to the rules on using Contacts in neighborhoods outside of your control, in the OOC OP.

Hath Poisoner's Society: They're sort of like a book club, except with poisons. And assassinations. So maybe not very much like a book club, but still.

Wild Mages: They aren't in Blacksgage because the Longspeak Tower is in Downline.

[oblivion6]

mercantile's guild

SGA[PM]

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their assasins may be a problem. even if i put all 7 of my ESP towards defending myself it would be a bit harder to catch them due to my trade policies[my negative trait]

i currently have 5 MIL, all of which will be on defense. i also estimate another 3 MIL the wardens will have to get through if they go through the travelers quarters thanks to my good friends in the hosts-watch

to GM

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could i send a couple wealth by sea to the empire?

you remember those fortifications i built in the travelers-quarter i built on the 1st turn? would those still be in place for use against the Wardens?

[ForzaFiori]

Ram Revolutio (D ESP 6)

TO: Gears Chosen

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your troops may move through our territory. We're already going to allow your mages into our safe zones in The Pits, why not allow you in further. Fel free to pick up some of the pamphlets that are all around as well, they're brilliantly well written.

[Nyrt]

Esoteric Society of Gentleman Explorers [6]

Meeting with Melissa Blaine [pm]

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Hmmj... yes, an excellent plan. We shall have to be sure it doesn't spread into the rest of the city, of course.

[puppyavenger]

Gear's Chosen (9)

On the issue of traitors bridge

To place the Mercantile Guild in charge of Traitors Bridge is to put a thief in charge of improving a bank's security. Why should a group of middle men who profit off the corrupted and inharmonious situation be trusted with the city's greatest life-line? Absent the Divine, a whole will always be constrained by it's parts, and at the moment, most of the raw materials of the city come from whichever warlord is offering the merchants the best deal. To allow the Mercantile Guild continued control of Sav Atlus is to align the city with whichever Bandit Chief is in transient ascendance, and to set us on a course where the city will become nothing more then a token of status fought over by the strongest warlords

To Dreumont

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Oh, I'm sorry, I must have given the wrong impression. The wellbeing of those wretches who inhabit the Run at the moment is rather besides the point. When we speak of redeeming the run, we mean rebuilding and re-purposing it towards the goals of the Supreme Will. Believe me when I say any taint and any nefarious organizations will be thoroughly expunged before the Neighbourhood can be put to more virtuous work.

To Ram Revolution

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We may very well do that. Well the Supreme Will has many facets that must be brought into the world and lists many imperfections that must be corrected, the government of man is something on which nothing is stated.

To Wardens

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Wonderful. As a final question, do you still retain any contacts which might be able to supply firearms? The Designers of the Chosen are generally not patient enough for anything so banal as mass-producing weaponry, and we obviously need something to help level the playing field with certain..other factions.

[ForzaFiori]

Ram Revolution (D ESP 7)

TO: Gear's Chosen

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The government of man may not be mentioned by your Supreme Will, it is an important concept - the inherent freedoms of each man must be respected by the government that protects them.

[Thelonius]

Wardens

Mr. Tarmin. At this point I’m going to assume that you are either a massive hypocrite or completely clueless about what constitutes the complicated concept of ''trade''.

What do you think Mr. Keriglass and MecLechoire, two prominent merchants in the White Market, are selling to the Warlords? Cakes and Pastries? Wardens are profiting from selling weapons to the Warlords.

Speaker of the House [6]

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''Greetings, honourable Speaker''

''I would like to inquire about two things. First, if you would be able to supply services your mercenaries. How many men can you supply and at what price?''

''Would you be interested in moving your operations into the Guild’s Row? The Commerce House of the SGA is located there and I’m certain, you would be able to find a number of lucrative job opportunities with the wealthiest Guilds of Sav Altulus.''

Hath Poisoner Society [6]

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''I realize you have suffered recently from a Wardens attack, but would you be able to fulfill a request from me, for a fair pay?''

SGA [PM]

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Wardens Conflict

''I should mention, that I'm not certain, where the House Laurier loyalties are. Perhaps they could be an ally. But they would also stand to gain, if Wardens promise them Stacks.''

''I'm in negotiations with Laheim and will see if thy would be able to supply mercenaries for this conflict.''

[Murska]

Logic puzzle: No. Yet another case of strawman.

Good of the people: It is for the good of the people for the system to follow laws instead of the whims of fallible men such as yourself.

Greatness is for special people born during special times. Competence is the most that can be relied on, and so something that can be planned for.

As for trade, we've already made it clear how regrettable the state of the City's economy currently is in making it practically impossible to cut off trade to psychopathic dictators. Since you claim that we're somehow profiting from it, I assume you mean to imply that the Warden organization is actually a front for Merchants Mr. Keriglass and MecLechoire. This brings us back to our earlier blue unicorn clause.

Wardens to Gear's Chosen:

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We do know people such as that. However, the weapons are rather expensive initially and provide little to no benefit during the winter.

[oblivion6]

mercantile's guild

SGA[PM]

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i have faith that house laurier will at the very least not participate in this conflict. we have always been on fairly good terms with each other.

i will be making plans as to where to make my stand. hopefully i can keep them away from neighborhoods adjacent to the bridge itself.

i will also be talking to the carriage houses of the turnaround. i believe they have a fair bit of fighting men and i anticipate one of the Wardens main thrusts will attempt to come through there while the Gears-Chosen retake the gears.

to carriage houses

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greeings. i would request a meeting with both of you.

to GM

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my goal with the turnaround is to prevent the wardens from being able to cross unhindered. hopefully the little bit of influence i have there will help make that possible with the bit of coin i plan to pay them.

also, OOC says that they both have a decent military. can you define "decent" for me? just a rough idea of how much they have.

[Ragnar Lodbroke]

House Wallen
To EBSA

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Both the Wardens, the Merchants and the Doctor are Council Members.
What are we to do about this crisis?

We need action. NOW.

To Technist's Guild

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To start, we wanted to find out how is the Airship project coming along. We have a few plans for such ships, but they require a stable production of cheap, safe ships.

For now, we are interested on the basic technology.

If you agree, I will go to your offices at noon to discuss such projects.

To Doctor Vasari

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I'll be expecting the meeting then. I thank you for that.
The Wardens have to be stopped. OOC: Testing hidden text here :P Never done it before.
I intend to have a Council discussion on the Warden's situation.

[puppyavenger]

Gear's Chosen (9)

Wardens

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Oh, something for the future, surely. Still, we may well need it. how much would equipping our forces with basic firearms be?

Ram

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Very well then. As long as we can do our work in peace, such a government would be quite acceptable to us

[Murska]

Wardens to Gear's Chosen

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6 t.Wealth from the cheapest supplier for Blackpowder Weapons II.

[Greystone]

The EBSA

To the Wardens and Bloodhaven

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This infighting must immediately stop. Both of you have ideological differences, true- and even legal complaints, but this endless bickering is only driving a wedge into the city. I could attempt to bore you with endless legal precident that a threat to the city and its citizenry creates a time of emergency where the goal is to survive, not score political points on either side.

I don't want you to argue with me, claim that you are in the right or completely innocent- I don't care. Save this fight till after the foreign invaders are driven from our city. This bickering not only harms the integrity of the council, and the morale of the people- but actively makes it more difficult to fight the MU.

I can't sway you with threats, as my military and espionage forces are far to thin fighting an actual opponent than waiting to jump on my own damned allies. I can't bring down the force of the law upon you as if I did you would most likely ignore it, further fracturing the brittle coalition we have established.

So lets leave it at this. Both of you publicly agree to wait until the city is out of crisis to solve things. The EBSA itself will lead an investigative committee- though that is up to you. If you do not I will make it my life's mission to drown both of you in so much redtape you won't be able to walk across the street without signing a form in triplicate.

Act as the responsible men I know you to be.

Dekan O'vail

House Wallen

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I have sent them one warning. Hopefully they will cease their squabbling. If not then I will unfortunately have to get... unpleasant. I give you permission to read the transcript of my letter to them above, and encourage you to send one down the same lines.

Sausage Guild

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We don't have a problem with it, especially if you allow EBSA scribes to aid you- to avoid underground structures and the like, make the tunnels a bit more efficient. Our only true caveat is that it cannot get near, especially not directly under, the Halls of Justice.

Secret Council Meeting-PM

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The room, covered in maps and status reports- some very obviously magical as they adjust to mostly real time, is dominated by a central table, surrounded by utilitarian chairs. Sitting at the head, table in front of her taken up by a large open file, is a tired looking Anala Weaver.

She shakes her head "I'm afraid not Madame Beteoui" she indicates the considerably smaller pair of packets in front of each of the council members "In the first packet you will see the details of our espionage failure in Blacksage. You will also notice that Kara and her forces were not there" she sighed and stood, holding her hands behind her back.

"The second packet has the information of what EBSA forces were doing at the time. On a tip from who we assume was the Meredellon Knight, we discovered the Sifter Magi in Blacksage, as well as the Shakers, are only a distraction"

She allows the council to peruse the packets. Evidence of a contacts going silent or forgetting key details, shadowy movements, glimpses "We assume the Sifters are doing something, in secret, while all eyes are fixed upon Blacksage. Kara, her boys, and some friends of ours tried to track down and put a stop to them, but we were outfoxed and outnumbered. "

She takes a deep breath before continuing "It is our opinion that this plot is far more dangerous than the invasion- as it is directly setting down the roots of something malicious in the very foundation of the city. We need your help, and the help of other factions in the city"

[puppyavenger]

Gear's Chosen (9)

Wardens

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Wonderful, we may have somethibg to talk about in the spring

[Thelonius]

ESBA, Mercantile Guild, Wardens [4]

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''As a civil servant, who has longed worked with ESBA I fully understand your concerns. I can assure you, that my only wish is to prevent violence from occurring. If Wardens don’t try to take the Traitor’s Bridge, there is no conflict. I can’t however ask the Mercantile Guild not to defend their lives, if they are attacked.''

''I can give my word that neither I nor Mercantile Guild will move against the Wardens, a statement, which I believe Mercantile Guild will confirm. I hope the Wardens would do the same.''

[oblivion6]

EBSA, bloodhaven, wardens

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i can confirm that i will certainly not be seeking conflict with the Wardens unless they and their allies come for me.

[razovor]

The Champions of Sovereignty:

To the Council [PM]

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James listens in silence. When the reports are given out he withdraws a copy of his own from his jacket, and begins to obviously compare them. When Anala is done, James smiles and makes to speak;

"Thank you, Anala, for bringing this matter to the attention of the council. As you will have noted last month, my faction was already aware of this secret movement by the Mages Ubiquitous. We intercepted the message sent to you by the unknown source. I hope you didn't mind the unexpected help."

"Regardless, we made entirely no progress and were lucky not to lose any men. Anala is right on the scale of this threat. Our enemy is frighteningly powerful. We predict, thirty squads of agents would be required merely to stall them. We're going to need to gather a lot more support than that, if we are to remove them as a permanent threat."

"Which is why my forces will not be moving against them this month. The Wren and Doctor Vassari have been hunting Redeye Skeeve for months. With my support we can deal the final killing blow, then bring all of our forces to bear against the Mages Ubiquitous."