Episode #010: Politcal Intrigue

[Spus]

Transcript

Upon Entering thier barracks in Samanios, they soon encountered another troupe of mercenaries, who were far too happy to see them. Shockingly, they were not out to kill them. They were only meant to find them, and after some dispute of thier pay with Desh.

Desh informs them that the contract out to end thier lives was a private one and by all accounts, they are still gainfully employed as Kasian Mercenaries. Edward Ralos, the man who was grateful for the return of his daughter, wanted to see them. But the party had other thoughts on thier mind, and demanded Desh tell them what they know about the contract on thier heads. Desh, being prudent and protectful of his job, helped the best he could- by being a slob and refusing to clean up thier room.

The party found the contract on the trashed gear of thier assailants, and it seems the man who wanted them dead now has a name, the Kasian Minister of War, Randall Korton. Desh, continuing his duties as the party's supervisor, assigned a new recruit to thier lines- a strange man named Cyrus, who's skill lied in Unarmed Combat. Interpretting Desh's orders too literally, he faithfully followed the party to the north back to Kasios- for the party wanted a friend in a high place to deal with an enmy in a high place.

Ralos made his dislike for Korton clear. One of his biggest political opponents, he knows Korton has made constant attempts to seize to top spot on the Kasian Council. He asks the party to deal with him, having his full support(despite not actually helping them in anyway) and they can deal with his mission of Diplomacy another time.

Returning to Samanios, they lit the house ablaze to draw Korton out of his residence. After a battle with his remaining guard and his bodyguard, Korton was captured. Silent and unwilling to talk they returned Korton to Ralos.

Ralos, however, wanted nothing to do with him. He viewed Korton living as a constant threat. As long as he lived, his supporters could rally behind him and attempt to overthrow Ralos forcefully- and Ralos has much to fear, as Korton has incredible influence over the Mercenaries of Samanios- Kasios' police and military force. Ralos believes getting Korton to publicly confess his plot would be impossible. Korton verifies this, saying it would be complete political suicide, and that he rather have his people rise up behind him, believing he was only a scapegoat in the Ankheg plot.

Unable to reach a comprimise between the two Kasian leaders, they remove Korton from Ralos' manor. They decide to meet with another Minister and power of Kasios- Geoffrey Elthridge, the Kasian Minister of Naval Trade, the defacto mayor of Hilan, Kasios' ocean port. They decide to bring a mouthy and oppurtunistic priest along to possibly magically compel Korton to talk- one Vance Valmont.

On the night before you depart, Korton spills his vision out before you over dinner.(Assuming you'd have the decency to feed the man).

"Do you really want to go through with this? You know I have associates looking for me at this very moment, and they won't be anywhere as civil as I am. You don't have to travel miles south. You don't have to kill me. You could join me."

"You have something that most troupes don't have. You think for yourselves. You don't act as machines and just do what your sargeant tells you to do. This is a dangerous quality that frightens most of the powers- it even frightened me at first, and that's why we're all in this situation in the first place."

"What I am proposing is that you join together with me. A man with vision. The travelers who died to those Ankhegs will die in vain without me. But with me, they will live anew, as the first small sacrifices in my grand plan for Kasios. Kasios: The Empire."

"Uzinia is on the brink of civil war. Jal'Nareth stagnates because the man in charge there is too terrified to do anything. Aridia is as worthless and pathetic as it's always been. These lands are ripe for our taking- our mercenary soldier's skill is unmatched. One of our men is worth a dozen of thiers. And when we walk over them, the growing power of our might will easily topple the Elven and Dwarven lands."

He turns to Kroitz. "Trade will flourish. There will no longer be boundries. No petty decades old grudge inflicting ridicolous tariffs on our goods. No more corrupt checkpoints robbing the merchants of another land blind."

Then to Matwau. "Your people will no longer fear an attack on thier forests- because they will already be ours. The only ill fate that awaits your people lies in resistance- no matter what you do and how you prepare, you will fall. Why fight it? Why not become the man in charge to ease your people's potential suffering?"

Then to Isha. "Right and Wrong are useless concepts. You think helping Ralos is doing the right thing? That man would shoot his butler in the head if he didn't put enough sugar in his coffee. Is helping a man who would do that more right than helping me? You need to remember- winners write the history. Right and Wrong are what you make of them- You will not be the bloodthirsty conqueror, you will be the great liberator and uniter."

"Think about this. You have nothing to gain by following a man who's only concerned with today, today's money, today's affairs, and today's life. You could follow me. You could follow me and accomplish your goals and so much more."

He then silences himself, with a sly smirk.

It's one of those smirks you want to beat off his face.

[stabs]

"We differ in goals city man. You want to expand this empire. I want to pull it apart. I am a savage, I do not understand the city ways. The savage man sits in a forest, invigorated by the smell of bark and the sound of birds and the feel of the earth. The city man cuts down many forests to make wooden house that are dead to the earth's song. He smells only acrid smoke, hears only city noises, and feels only dead stone. I do not understand how a man can own the land, and I will not see you try to expand what you cannot in the first place own.

"For now, I walk with city men and obey the orders of Lost Coin so far as they do not harm the song. Lost Coin knows that if I gave into my warrior spirit I would return and restore the earth's song in destroying his home. I would see this city burn. I would see your childrens' children walk with respect for the land and understand they walk upon their own mother. But I know this is the city man's way to force others to live as he lives, because the city man is cut off from the earth's song and has forgotten the respect of harmony in living side by side with your brothers the animals and your mother the dirt. The city man has forgotten how to live in harmony with others, for if he cannot live in the ebb and flow of the land he has no hope of living in the ebb and flow of men different to him. But I am not a city man, and this is not my way. So while I leave your cities unburnt, neither will I see them expand. I will do what must be done to stop a furthering of your empire, kill who must be killed. You will go first, but you will not be the last."

[Orion]

“I remember, when I was small, Father would take us all about the country and beyond. There were so many different kinds of people. And not just different sizes! Some would do strange and wonderful things, others were so exciting and fun and then there were the places where it was so comfortable I could almost call it home…”

“Ever since I lost my family, I have been living in this city alone. I didn’t really know if I would ever see them again… But then, something wonderful happened! I got to see the forest! Somewhere I had only ever heard about or passed through while I was asleep… And there were people there who were happy! I think…maybe happier than some of the people from the city….”

“I just don’t understand why countries can’t live together and support each other instead of trying to take each other over and hurting each other. I mean….Single people aren’t allowed to do that… So should it be okay for groups of people to do it?”

“Also…. You talk about those merchants as sacrifices….I learned that word from a nice old lady who would give me food every few days, and sometimes some money. She said that it was a sacrifice that more people should make so as to help others. I heard others talking about her being a ‘Saint.’ You are talking about peoples’ lives though… I remember hearing that someone who gives up the life of a person who did nothing wrong is called a ‘murderer.’ Maybe I am wrong but….I don’t really think that someone can be a murderer and a saint...”

[demonlei]

Kroitz snorts in disgust at Korton's fast-talk.

"The concept of the 'evil empire' is a storytelling cliche for a reason, Korton.

People are stubborn bastards. They like control over their own lives and their own property, or failing that, knowing that they're controlled by local bastards just like them, rather than a faraway bastard with an incomprehensible culture. The difference may be meaningless to you and me, but it means so much to them that they will die for it.

Empires get to be Empires one way only: by ruthlessly exterminating everything near them until the survivors give up and pretend to swear allegiance. The mass slaughter required to build an empire comes at a price - a price in gold, in lives, and in the few shreds of conscience we Kasians have, when we're not consumed by greed.

This price would doom Kasios to endless suffering, endless struggling to quash rebellions and uprisings, even as the states she conquered suffered, until the Kasian empire finally crumbled and Kasios herself was carved up between the barbarian tribes it had allegedly conquered.

I don't care much for my so-called homeland, but I'll kill you myself before I let your madness be her ruin. The only reason I haven't killed you yet is that I worry some charismatic protege of yours would use your death as a springboard to enact your plan."

[muk1000]

"You are correct; I do not believe Ralos is a big step up from you morally. But I want no part of your desires to build an empire. You underestimate the other countries. Aridia may not be the best defended country- it's mostly sand, after all- but the elves and dwarves would prove much harder to stomp out than I think you realize.

In any case, I see no reason to assist you when, for all I know, your next target could end up being my homeland someday.

Fools all seek control
To rule for power, money
The wise know better"

[Orion]

(Yay for interactive logs!)

[muk1000]

(It's just like a play-by-post game! =D That's how I got my roleplaying start, you know!)