Fable - Ask New Threats and Challenges

[Emric Amadeus Paldwyn]

Emric stood at his desk his hand stroking his chin as he stared down at a map of the spine sprawled across the desk held in place with paperweights. Kascoria had been an isolationist place for much of Emric's rule as a vampire, they trade but outside of that, but it has largely kept to itself as a measure of hiding the princedom existence and he who rules it.

But with time all things change, new threats and challenges lurk outside their borders and they needed to understand them before they take any action or none at all. He had called upon Samson, his steward, advisor and perhaps closet person he could call a friend. Emric wanted his opinion on how to proceed before he made his decision.

Samson Kraith

 

[Samson Kraith]

A light tapping on the door preceded and announced Samson's arrival as he entered the lord's chamber.
Samson waited on Lord Paldwyn every day; it was his job. Being specifically summoned by Lord Paldwyn wasn't unusual either, except that this was the first time his master had specifically done so since the arrival of the new mistress.

He stepped into the room, his posture straight and professional as always with a hand held behind his back as he bowed from the hip.
"My Lord. How may I serve you this evening?"
In all their years together, no matter how close they truly were he had always treated Emric the exact same way, as a servant to a most revered master. With respect and dignity at all times as any good steward should.

 

[Emric Amadeus Paldwyn]

His eye flicked up from his desk to look at Samson before removing his hand from his chin so that he could talk clearly, "I wish for your council, Samson. a group of knights that make their home around the Eldyr tree seems to be on rising again and given their proximity it will be a matter of time until they discover us and given their nature it would mean war."

His tone was serious, with Amira here now, he had something to protect and if that meant the expansion of Koscoria to allow for a buffer so be it "I wish to prevent this by expanding, producing a buffer in which to cushion from any assault from them. you as my steward know are capabilities and resources just as well as I"

 

[Samson Kraith]

"I wish for your council, Samson. a group of knights that make their home around the Eldyr tree seems to be on rising again and given their proximity it will be a matter of time until they discover us and given their nature it would mean war."

Samson listened to his request and bowed low.
"I am at your disposal, my lord."

"I wish to prevent this by expanding, producing a buffer in which to cushion from any assault from them. you as my steward know our capabilities and resources just as well as I"

"I understand, my lord. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that you wish to be prepared for the eventuality of war, rather than prevent it. I'm afraid such a display of force has never dissuaded such knights from seeking our destruction in the past."

He straightened, one hand behind his back as he proceeded.
"If I understand you correctly, my lord, you want to bolster our defenses, increase our army to better defend ourselves.
As it stands, our living conscripts number one thousand, our unliving army number one hundred, and due to your blood, moral is high and general public opinion of you is good, almost fanatical to the eyes of outsiders which is enough to cast suspicion on us and our true nature.

I digress, sire.

Because of your blood we completely control the village, they are willing to follow any decree or law posed by you without question or complaint.
Knowing our current resources, we can withstand such an expansion as you are proposing. And expanding our territory will no doubt increase some of our natural resources such as stone, ore and lumber. However, I needn't remind you that such an act will encroach on our border with Sir Dwarlëugh, of Belgrath. Of course, assimilating his lands and people into our own should be a simple matter of smuggling potions of your blood amongst the population and forging an alliance with a sufficiently pliable Sir Dwarlëugh himself.

For all appearances we shall simply be neighbors sharing a border, in actuality, he will allow us unrestricted access to his lands and perhaps one day sign over himself, all his lands and resources and people to us. Would such an expansion be satisfactory, my lord?"

 

[Emric Amadeus Paldwyn]

Emric stroked his chin as he listened to his steward's words, taking them in. this was why he had turned the man his skills would have been wasted with death and gets to continue his work. "Sir Dwarlëugh is a fool pretending to be lord, calling it an alliance is rather a generous word for it but we shall call it that for his sake until he has thoroughly converted to our way of seeing things, and no need to smuggle it, sell the blood-tainted wine to his inns and taverns, even at loss it will be worth the final outcome."

Expansion without a fight is the most desirable outcome, allows for resources to be allocated elsewhere and not wasted on pointless fights and it keeps them off the radar. "but yes, this plan is satisfactory Samson."

 

[Samson Kraith]

Emric stroked his chin as he listened to his steward's words, taking them in. this was why he had turned the man his skills would have been wasted with death and gets to continue his work. "Sir Dwarlëugh is a fool pretending to be lord, calling it an alliance is rather a generous word for it but we shall call it that for his sake until he has thoroughly converted to our way of seeing things, and no need to smuggle it, sell the blood-tainted wine to his inns and taverns, even at loss it will be worth the final outcome."

Expansion without a fight is the most desirable outcome, allows for resources to be allocated elsewhere and not wasted on pointless fights and it keeps them off the radar. "but yes, this plan is satisfactory Samson."

Samson bowed again, “I shall make it so, m’lord. By the years end, if all goes well, you shall see your borders expanded well beyond what can be seen from your castle walls.”

He stood upright again but did not leave yet.
“Was there anything else you wished to discuss, m’lord?”
Samson did have something he wanted to discuss with Emric, but it could wait till his liege had nothing more to ask of him.