The Fifth Lord: The Raven
By rfortuna
Before everything, sorry for my english mistake, but i think that the story shoulb be understandable.
This economic campaign coming soon
What if they were five? And if a fifth lord was hide in the shadow, supporting the 4 renegades lords?
Here is the story of the Raven, a clever manager and member of the conspiracy.
R1 A risky bet
10 years before the King's kidnapping.
The victory against the barbarians was total! They are not about to come back for years! The old King was so glorious, it was an honor to fight on his side.
We have organized a great banquet to celebrate this, maybe I will not have to drink so much. All drunk that I was I concluded a risky bet with one of the vassals of the King, the Wolf.
I assured him that I would fulfill the royal contract for the sword's delivery, and this in a record time. Very badly, the gold's amount that I had bet was pretty rough.
So here I am at the border of these sinister woods, with an unlikely objective. The small iron ore deposit at my disposal may not sufficent, I should probably arrange with local merchants.
If we remove the wolves that infest the woods and the infected swamp would be a charming village but some hunters without prey should be able to help me defend my people.
Whatever, this contract will be fulfilled and the Wolf will have to recognize my skills.
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R2 A gift for the pig
5 years before the King's kidnapping:
After winning my contract against the Wolf he gave me a certain respect, recognizing my ability to manage a domain. It was then that we became good friends.
The old king was dead, we regretted him, his young son was not ready to take control of the kingdom, his disastrous country's management and his last failed campaign confirm it ..
Maybe with time it will become better but we should take the risk, the country could never recover from this ..
The wolf and I thus devised a plan, we were going to need allies, influential allies. The old Sir Longarm was a man of valor but unfortunatly his unfailing loyalty will cause problem.
The wolf found someone, a freshly appointed lord, a former chief of the bandits. He reclaimed as a sign of good faith an enormous load of victuals for his incipient army, and doubtless for him also.
I am now embarked on an another unrealizable mission. The land where I have been established is not conducive to the cultivation of all victuals asked by the Pig, the merchants will still be of great help to me.
It is said that bands of pirates ravage the coast, hope that some spears and stakes will be enough to repulse these brutes. The goal is clear, collect all the food before the arrival of the Pig.
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R3 The rodent's friend
3 years before the King's kidnapping:
Our plan became more and more concrete, the Pig was ennobled and his army grew more and more. The Wolf advised me a new member of our conspiracy.
Recently the whole family of Puce drowned in the sea, leaving only an illegitimate son . Becoming the only heir, he claims at this moment the throne of his father.
All his vassals, however, they do not all support him and consequently a civil war starts is to break out in his county.
The Wolf charged me to provide enough spear to the troops of the Rat. The challenge and size as the amount to provide is gargantuan.
Moreover, I have to hurry to deliver them, every day that passes worsen the Rat's situation, it is a mediocre stratego and I would not be surprised that the demand for weapons evolves according to his troops'losses.
It is said that gangs of deserters from the armies of the rebellious loot this land. I rather interest to hire a few mercenaries on my side too, the bully of the Pig should agree.
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R4 Unreliable friendships
4 months after the King's kidnapping :
How did it get so bad? Was our dream of a strong kingdom at this price? I couldn't more than endorse that, but how to fight, I am not a warrior, I have not enough men to oppose my former allies.
It was then that I heard of a rebel militia, Longarm and Woolsack remained faithful. The Snake is deceitful and these tactics without honor, I fear that my dream of a peaceful kingdom is in danger.
So I began discreetly refueling the rebels at the same time as the Wolf forces. But the Snake felt it. My friendship with the wolf protects me. Sabotage on his part or even attacks are to be feared. He will not dare to oppose me openly, but robberies, bandits raids or worse would not surprise me
I will gather knights to defend my vast domain. I will return to my castle and finally take care of my lands and repaired my mistake.
I need gold and to win the confidence of the black monks.
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R5 For all my sins
3 years after the King' Kidnapping
It is now three years that this new war is raging. They all fell one by one, a young lord them all defeated, only remains the Wolf.
Unfortunately, as a secret never remains so long, the two sides quickly realized my involvement. This cowardly Serpent had talk before dying, and some of my people had informed the Wolf.
If the Wolf will not forgive me, Sir Longarm will perhaps forgive my error.
To thank me for my help the monks tell me about a holy relic, which could redeem my soul and especially saved my head
I leave my estate for a final journey. Here I am on the ruins of the ancient city of Culhaig, a hundred times cursed. The air is unhealthy is filled with sorcery
I must quickly extract the relics from the ruins before the end of the fateful fighting Before being held accountable to the winner's side.
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R6 Epilogue
All is over. The Wolf was defeated, he fell from the top of the parapet of his castle .. What a mess .. Our dream was so beautiful ..
For my part I was forgiven, the help I brought to the rebels and the restitution of the holy relic to the Crown brought a host of pilgrims and a non-negligible profit to the kingdom.
It is now 10 years since the war is over, I now have two magnificent heirs and my estate has never fared so well.
In this beautiful spring morning I returned from the King's tournament and stopped in a small village. That's when I saw him ..
It was him, the Wolf, older but it was him. A colossus with a Jackal's head on these sides. So the old warrior had survived his fall?
Maybe I deserved my fate, one thing is about I would not surrender without fighting.. For my King .. After all there is worse than to die from the hands of a friend ..