[Amelia] Chapter 15: An Audience with the Duke

[Throndir]

Who is this? The hero of Mendernich? If you're hearing this, your attempted assassination was foiled! After that, although the connection was still active and you still felt Duke Hallam's presence, you weren't hearing anything else.

[Mysticsage]

let me know if I need to spend my hero point to make sure he hears me. because I would spend it here if needed.

Amelia bit her lip, as she felt the blood rush to her face at being called out. She would need to fix this. "I didn't send the assassin, Duke Hallum. but one of my attendants is responsible for saving your life. I was sleeping peacefully until they came in covered in blood. Let me make this abundantly clear, I let you stay outside my walls as my guest, and I do not take kindly to the insult of someone attacking my guests. It is my philosophy that needlessly taking lives only wastes talent with very little upside."

"Having you dead at my door is bad for me, just like having you attacked at my door is. This may not be intended as a move against you at all but I move against me."

"That being said, my attendant almost died making sure you lived, so you cannot blame a girl for trying to make the most of the situation. As far as I'm concerned the meeting for the morning is still valid, particularly because someone wants us to not talk. I hope that this does not give our enemies the upper hand by forcing you to go home. If you come to the meeting I may have additional evidence for you."

The base goal is just getting him to come to the table to talk in the morning.

[Mysticsage]

Assumed diplo check

Rolled 1d20+10 : 11 + 10, total 21

[Mysticsage]

using postumis +4 with spending the hero point

[Throndir]

The meeting? Another trap more like it!

At that moment a notification appeared in your view.

Your wish is granted.

... But you do make a good point. However, I will be ensuring I bring a few more men with me for safety. I saw how that assassin fought, he was skilled. This hero, is not negotiable.

[Mysticsage]

"I find that agreeable, given the circumstances I will most likely have to rethink my security given that my people intervened to keep you alive. That being said, I have several proposals I would like you to hear both as yourself and as the representative of your nation. So, I refuse to let a party crasher ruin everything."

—
With the conversation finished she nearly collapsed from the stress. Explaining what she did with the duke, conveniently leaving out her failed attempt to push her luck too the boys, once she saw Nyx taken care of she did her best to go back to bed.

[Throndir]

Location: Mendernich Castle - Hero's Room
Date: Day 15 - Morning

State what time you want to wake up. Events on Day 15:

15   Social      Second meeting with Duke Hallam.
15   Social      Meet with Priestess of the Shrine of Light from Isikawa
15   Misc      Most other priests from Day 10 meeting leave.

The next morning soon came with both Kurt and Nyx still in bed. Due to the events of the night before, Kurt had actually brought back with himself a set of leather armor that he wore to sleep. It was light enough that he still managed to get a good night's rest, and at the same time, he kept both his weapons nearby. Though lying in bed, he remained vigil, which perhaps explained the fact that he was still soundly asleep.

Nyx was still covered with bandages, though he was still wounded, you knew that he should have recovered enough mana from his sleep in order to heal himself with his blessing when he woke up.

[Mysticsage]

Location: Mendernich Castle - Hero's Room
Date: Day 15 - Morning - 6 AM

going to wake up early at 6 am

Amelia dresses purposefully in her handmaiden outfit that morning letting the two boys sleep as she added a few extra ribbons and accessories on for the point of the function. Just because she was meant to play the role of servant and mediator did not mean she was allowed to look poorly for the function.

She slides the dagger into her boot and leaves her room. She will go around the castle and particularly the meeting area and make sure that it is as safe as possible for the meeting. She will then greet the party with the duke at the castle gates come the time of the meeting. She wants to be one of the first people they see and help guide them into the castle to try and hedge any issues.

[Throndir]

Location: Mendernich Castle - Hero's Room
Date: Day 15 - Morning - 6:30 AM

Waking up early, you dressed and prepped yourself for meeting with the duke and his envoy.  You went towards the meeting room that you have decided would be used for the audience, and finding nothing amiss, moved to the castle gates. Soon enough Duke Hallam appeared, flanked by 12 knights. They were in formation, and a few of them were carrying flags of the Felencorp United Alliance, a design consisting of primarily blue, gold, and white.

If you were looking for things specifically, roll a Perception.

If you are specifically trying to influence their attitude, roll a Diplomacy for that.

[Mysticsage]

Location: Mendernich Castle - Hero's Room
Date: Day 15 - Morning - 6:30 AM


She takes a moment making sure the guards are present but not obvious so that the talks can go on without fear that if a third party drops in that they will at least have an early warning.

perception

Rolled 1d20+7 : 7 + 7, total 14

--

by the time the duke arrived she had taken her spot next to the king and Fulbert as they had planned the day before. Flanked as was appropriate for a guest of the duke's stations. She waited for the King to make his greetings and then the head diplomat knowing the role she was attempting to perform.

She waited for her formal introduction hoping that the pomp and circumstance would help ease the atmosphere. "Good morning again, Your Grace it lightens my heart knowing you are safe." she curtsied.

"When I had heard about what happened last night I was beside myself. My Lady wished for me to greet you directly and offer what resources we have to help with the injured. I will personally be doing what I can to help with the situation." she smiled an honest smile. "May I lead you to the meeting room? We have had some developments since yesterday as well that I am to convey.

We have food also prepared for you and your men, but given last night it seems like that is little more than handwaving. If any of you need anything please let any of us know and we will do what we can to provide it."

Diplomacy to influence attitude
hopefully, the formal greeting and the introductions from the king and fulbert will help

Rolled 1d20+10 : 12 + 10, total 22

[Mysticsage]

Roll for good outfit and looking pretty

Rolled 1d20+6 : 16 + 6, total 22

[Throndir]

With both the greetings from the king and the grand diplomat, Fulbert, it made Duke Hallam along with the rest of the knights more at ease. Duke Hallam seemed to node approvingly at your dress as well, and soon enough the group was in the meeting room.

"This is where we'll meet with the hero?" Duke Hallam asked, glancing from the king, to Fulbert, then finally to you.

[Mysticsage]

Amelia let out a heavy sigh this was the moment that she hoped what goodwill she had managed to gather would be enough to get them through this, "This is the negotiation room where we will be handling our business. My lady has a number of topics she wishes for us to discuss and has asked the head diplomat Fulbert to take keep record and notarize what is said in this room so that there is a written truth you can take home that both parties can be held accountable for."

"That being said," she paused, "my lady cannot currently attend the meeting in person for a variety of reasons. In her current state, she could not be easily moved in case of an attack by last night's assassin. We could not expect, nor impose that you defend her and defend yourself in case of such an attack the loss of your life here would destroy any chance our two nations have of cooperating to fight the real threat at your southern border. Add to that my mistress had a draining day yesterday, using her powers multiple times throughout the day, first with you and then to talk with various religious leaders for the sake of this meeting.

Mix that with various additional activities, and waking up past midnight at the news of the attack. She stayed up well past sunrise to watch over her attendant to see that they would be stable despite the wounds they had received fighting off the assassin. With all that, she refused to let this meeting reschedule so as to not make you wait given the current threat risk you both face. Despite her determination, however, all of this stress has caused her current constitution to betray her, which was not helped by the fact that we had to move her to a better-defended room.

She wished me to express to you her true sense of anger and frustration that she must not attend and that she is and will continue to work hard for the combined effort of the world. To that and as I said she has a number of questions and a few proposals she wishes to bring to your attention. That is assuming you will allow this meeting to continue?" Amelia took time during her explanation as planned to let the King and Fulbert interject and explain their roles and give more weight to her explanation as she went. At the end of it, however, all she could do was hold her breath and bow her head. She honestly did not like lying like this at least in spirit. It was stressful trying to get people to work with you while at the same time having to protect yourself from them.

At least, her explanation was all technically true. The true hero of Bursteg was in no condition to meet with the duke as he was sleeping in her bed, and the rest was all things she had done in some way or another. Now all she could do was wait to see how this all played out.

As a reminder The Hero did say that she would need to reorganize her own security the night before so this should not be a total suprise.

Now what the hell do i roll to sell this thing with the king and Fulberts help?

[Throndir]

Roll Bluff to convince him that your mistress had a draining day.

Then, Roll Diplomacy for Make Request of still having the meeting without the promised audience.

Both the King and Fulbert will say something similar to help with Aid Another for both Bluff and Diplmacy. This will be opposed to his Sense Motive, and DC for Diplomacy. Success on the bluff, will give a bonus to the Diplomacy. Failure on the Bluff, would give a penalty. Since this is a touchy topic for the duke, failing a check 5 or more may result in decreased attitude.

If you would like, you could make the King or Fulbert be the primary roller as well for either or both the Bluff and Diplomacy attempt, and we use yours as Aid Another. State it, or I'll simply assume you're the primary roller.

Testtest

[Mysticsage]

I will let Fulbert handle the bluff check

I Will handle the diplomacy because I look nice and want to roll something lol

Aid another bluff check

Rolled 1d20+8 : 11 + 8, total 19

Make Request Diplomacy

Rolled 1d20+10 : 16 + 10, total 26