MechWarrior: Periphery Lord Quest (Archive)

[Turncoat]

Thanks for the updates.

 

[Lone Courier 6]

"I honestly thought you would last longer." Samantha says, over the speakers of her machine, staring down at the dimming cockpit that stares angrily back at her. Without Ammo to detonate, she doubts that the cockpit took the most damage, though without a doubt Trajin has a concussion at the moment, bounced around as he was when first the gyro went with the arm, then slammed back as the mynomer went dead as the engine scuttled itself to preserve life and material. She doesn't care to hear his last words though, so she moves on to her promise.

"No matter. Goodbye, Trajin."

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Letters are sent out, giving a report about the happenings of the council, the agreements struck, the arguments had, and most interestingly, the lack of reaction of almost everyone to the death of Lord Trajin Summermere.

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At this point in chat we were convinced the council gatherings were cursed, somebody always seemed to die at one of them.

 

[Aires Drake]

At this point in chat we were convinced the council gatherings were cursed, somebody always seemed to die at one of them.

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It was hilarious how many times it happened.

 

[Lone Courier 6]

It was hilarious how many times it happened.

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We had to break the curse in 35, if only because we didn't want to start our golden age with a beheading.

 

[mauveine]

thanks for the update
Are you aware that the text is repeated?
After this line...

The real question he asks, you know, having likely heard about Nalani from Colin, is Why is she here?

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this block of text repeats

You see little reason to lie in the faces of these men and women who are your peers.

"You are all aware the Shattered Isles exist, and I'm sure you know I've lead a number of expeditions to the isles." You begin, getting a series of nods from the better informed of the lot, though each of the High Lords do nod, if only to avoid showing weakness. "Those Islands are far from uninhabited, and on the very first I stepped foot on, I met with two rangers, the wandering-sheriffs and soldiers of their people, who had observed my landing. Lady Nalani was one of them, the other was her uncle, the Ranger Constantine, and the closest thing to a supreme military leader her people have."

Spoiler

You explain to them, though in not enough detail to reveal all you've claimed from your deals with Constantine and his Rangers, how you've come to establish enclaves and forts on the isles, to the benefit of both your peoples. You point out that Nalani is a Mechwarrior in her own right, the mount beneath her yours or not, and with her the effective heir to such a large isle in the greater whole, you wished her and her people to be protected under your laws.

"If I had just claimed the whole of the Shattered Isles, I imagine none of you would have been happy about it." You opine, getting begrudging nods from the gathered lords, the likes of Ruxhall and Summermere looking particularly sour at the image. "And so I've done by best to refrain, except where circumstances demanded it. Nalani is a vassal of my house, and pays due tribute and taxes for that protection," Ignoring that you've essentially taken your preexisting agreement for that in total. "She rules the three islands to the south-east of the whole, while I maintain nominal-control of the isle south of her most western. The people of that Island were her people's generational enemy, and after I helped fend off an attack, I saw fit to end that aggression, taking them under my rule to curb the worst of their raiding, and put them to better uses."

"So you've claimed a fourth of the Isles anyway, Gawain?" You keep your face neutral as Trajin speaks, his arrogant voice grating on your ears. "You do a wonderful job of talking up fairness and reason, but am I alone not blind to the Ambition of this?"

"No, you are not." Lord Sanmon says, and you can see the wheels turning in his brain, eyes tracing the map you'd laid out of the isles as seen from the sky, your markers already on the right most isles of the whole. "But I cannot deny it is the right of a lord to conquer and take what territory they can, nor make their choice about who administrates it for them. A Knight or a Lordly vassal, it matters not, Lord Summermere." He lifts his eyes from the map, green meeting blue as he looks to you. "You achieved this through diplomacy, correct? You've found the people of the isles to be reasonable?"

"I have, for the most part. The Ratatoskin and Constantinians," That earns a small twitch from Nalani. "Are people, like any other. They live lives not that different from any of our more rural small folk, moving with the seasons to better hunting grounds or more fertile areas, letting nature restore what they used in their stay. I've seen their crafts, their homes, and their technology." You say, earning a glint of interest in the eyes of many as they listen intently. "They are simple, but they understand the operation and maintenance of firearms, vehicles, and no small amount of the technology buried in their foothills. It should surprise no one to learn we were not the first here."

Lord Knightway nods at that, saying it aloud for anyone to proud, or simply out of the loop. "This planet belonged to the Rim World Republic before Amaris launched his coup. I've found enough warehouses and buildings with the Shark, I went looking for it in my family's files. What of it?"

"We, the Round Table came later, but Nalani and her People have been here since the first. By a quirk of circumstance, we landed here, on the larger more intact continent and beat off the pirates to become the lords and ladies of this land, but if our ancestors had been delayed six hours, I bet we'd have landed in the isles, and we'd be having this same conversation about a large, unexplored continent in the distance.

The original settlers of this continent bent the knee because we protected them from the raiders, and now Nalani and her uncle have knelt for that same protection. Would any of you contest their right to do so?" You wait for an objection, and though Ruxhall and Summermere look like they're sucking on a lemon, neither can actually object, given you've laid it out so plainly before the whole of your fellows.

"They long for lives of worthwhile toil, for times of play and rest, joy and love. They are no different from you or me, and I would give them the same protections that we'd offer the people of any of our realms, to give them the protections against greedy plunder, and take them beneath the aegis of our mighty machines should they consent."

"But you didn't have to raise her to a Lady in her own right to do that, Lord Gawain." Lord Andercher speaks up again, though his fervor has fallen far. "You could have made her a knight, and given her a hold on the isle, making its protection her duty as its sole knight. I don't doubt her courage, if she's a mechwarrior as you claim, but to bring her straight to the upper ranks of the nobility is extreme, is it not?"

You give a small nod, before you launch into your refutation. "Perhaps, but I'd say she has a greater right to it than almost any of us here. A century we've ruled here, while she, and her father, and her father's father's father have fought in the defense of their people. They have always acted for the protection of their people, their betterment in a time of turmoil, and is that not noble? It's true I'd not raise a man defending his family from wolves with a pitchfork to knighthood, but could I refuse the same to a man afoot who brings down a pirate BattleMech?"

None can speak against that, even if some wonder behind their interested eyes if you're not making things up to better your case. It's not like they could check your claims, given the inability to cross the sea to reach the isles.

Click to shrink...

"You are all aware the Shattered Isles exist, and I'm sure you know I've lead a number of expeditions to the isles." You begin, getting a series of nods from the better informed of the lot, though each of the High Lords do nod, if only to avoid showing weakness. "Those Islands are far from uninhabited, and on the very first I stepped foot on, I met with two rangers, the wandering-sheriffs and soldiers of their people, who had observed my landing. Lady Nalani was one of them, the other was her uncle, the Ranger Constantine, and the closest thing to a supreme military leader her people have."

Spoiler

You explain to them, though in not enough detail to reveal all you've claimed from your deals with Constantine and his Rangers, how you've come to establish enclaves and forts on the isles, to the benefit of both your peoples. You point out that Nalani is a Mechwarrior in her own right, the mount beneath her yours or not, and with her the effective heir to such a large isle in the greater whole, you wished her and her people to be protected under your laws.

"If I had just claimed the whole of the Shattered Isles, I imagine none of you would have been happy about it." You opine, getting begrudging nods from the gathered lords, the likes of Ruxhall and Summermere looking particularly sour at the image. "And so I've done by best to refrain, except where circumstances demanded it. Nalani is a vassal of my house, and pays due tribute and taxes for that protection," Ignoring that you've essentially taken your preexisting agreement for that in total. "She rules the three islands to the south-east of the whole, while I maintain nominal-control of the isle south of her most western. The people of that Island were her people's generational enemy, and after I helped fend off an attack, I saw fit to end that aggression, taking them under my rule to curb the worst of their raiding, and put them to better uses."

"So you've claimed a fourth of the Isles anyway, Gawain?" You keep your face neutral as Trajin speaks, his arrogant voice grating on your ears. "You do a wonderful job of talking up fairness and reason, but am I alone not blind to the Ambition of this?"

"No, you are not." Lord Sanmon says, and you can see the wheels turning in his brain, eyes tracing the map you'd laid out of the isles as seen from the sky, your markers already on the right most isles of the whole. "But I cannot deny it is the right of a lord to conquer and take what territory they can, nor make their choice about who administrates it for them. A Knight or a Lordly vassal, it matters not, Lord Summermere." He lifts his eyes from the map, green meeting blue as he looks to you. "You achieved this through diplomacy, correct? You've found the people of the isles to be reasonable?"

"I have, for the most part. The Ratatoskin and Constantinians," That earns a small twitch from Nalani. "Are people, like any other. They live lives not that different from any of our more rural small folk, moving with the seasons to better hunting grounds or more fertile areas, letting nature restore what they used in their stay. I've seen their crafts, their homes, and their technology." You say, earning a glint of interest in the eyes of many as they listen intently. "They are simple, but they understand the operation and maintenance of firearms, vehicles, and no small amount of the technology buried in their foothills. It should surprise no one to learn we were not the first here."

Lord Knightway nods at that, saying it aloud for anyone to proud, or simply out of the loop. "This planet belonged to the Rim World Republic before Amaris launched his coup. I've found enough warehouses and buildings with the Shark, I went looking for it in my family's files. What of it?"

"We, the Round Table came later, but Nalani and her People have been here since the first. By a quirk of circumstance, we landed here, on the larger more intact continent and beat off the pirates to become the lords and ladies of this land, but if our ancestors had been delayed six hours, I bet we'd have landed in the isles, and we'd be having this same conversation about a large, unexplored continent in the distance.

The original settlers of this continent bent the knee because we protected them from the raiders, and now Nalani and her uncle have knelt for that same protection. Would any of you contest their right to do so?" You wait for an objection, and though Ruxhall and Summermere look like they're sucking on a lemon, neither can actually object, given you've laid it out so plainly before the whole of your fellows.

"They long for lives of worthwhile toil, for times of play and rest, joy and love. They are no different from you or me, and I would give them the same protections that we'd offer the people of any of our realms, to give them the protections against greedy plunder, and take them beneath the aegis of our mighty machines should they consent."

"But you didn't have to raise her to a Lady in her own right to do that, Lord Gawain." Lord Andercher speaks up again, though his fervor has fallen far. "You could have made her a knight, and given her a hold on the isle, making its protection her duty as its sole knight. I don't doubt her courage, if she's a mechwarrior as you claim, but to bring her straight to the upper ranks of the nobility is extreme, is it not?"

You give a small nod, before you launch into your refutation. "Perhaps, but I'd say she has a greater right to it than almost any of us here. A century we've ruled here, while she, and her father, and her father's father's father have fought in the defense of their people. They have always acted for the protection of their people, their betterment in a time of turmoil, and is that not noble? It's true I'd not raise a man defending his family from wolves with a pitchfork to knighthood, but could I refuse the same to a man afoot who brings down a pirate BattleMech?"

None can speak against that, even if some wonder behind their interested eyes if you're not making things up to better your case. It's not like they could check your claims, given the inability to cross the sea to reach the isles.

Click to shrink...

might be worth looking at again