In a desperate, end-of-the-world attempt to come up with something that will help save the people of Arx when Azazel and his Abyssal share army come for the Thinnest Point, Medeia gathers the best magical and alchemical minds she can think of to do something Medeia /doesn't/ do: make poison.

Having had luck in the past - before crossing the threshold! - with creating targeted tools against specific threats (like Thornweave Fire and the talismans that protected against the Horned God's magic), she sets out to create something that will specifically harm Abyssal beings. She's not even sure what this is going to take. But she's going to TRY. The blood of Godsworn? Nethicite? She'll clear-cut her gardens if it helps.

After some discussion about collateral harm and intentionality, the hope is that, if successful, the poison should be something that can be coated on the weapons of defenders, perhaps coated upon their armor, and set in strategic traps (near the Thinnest Point?) that can be deployed to great effect without potentially harming allies.

Mabelle is not foreign to experimenting with all those elements. Metals with primum, odd plants, gemstones, her own blood and the time she spent in the Lyceum. Time to mix and try not to die of the explosion.

Galatea's skill at alchemy has few equals. Be it poison, unnatural herbs created during the Platinum Shift, nethicite, or even the blood of the faithful, there are plenty of avenues to take in research. The ritual (revelation 52) of Striking Through the Mirror contains certain techniques for targeted strikes against individual demons, but perhaps it might also provide clues as to more general patterns for substances that threatened demonic lives.

Thea knows about alchemy. A lot about alchemy. Poison. A lot about that too. She will use her knowledge as well as a touch of something else to help aide in the the cause. Thea has her own special additives afterall.

Eirene is an expect occultist. Even without her magic she knows what she's doing with rituals, as well as having knowledge of alchemy. So trying to craft something which harms the enemy isn't too farfetched.

Poison is not Mirk's specialty, but he's worked on the Thornweave poison before, and he helped bind Azazel as well, once upon a time (Action 2936 & Clue 2925), and he knows the rite to hide knowledge from the Despite (Revelation 34). So he draws on that pool of knowledge to attempt to devise something, anything that can harm Azazel. He's in a supporting role, providing advise and knowledge, and perhaps some primum towards a shared ritual, if he needs to.

If it weakens their enemy, even slightly? It's worth it.

So while Mia is no alchemist, she does have an extensive knowledge of the occult. Even more than that, she has a small orichalcum figurine that has long acted a shield against the Abyssal entities controlled by her father, protecting her from their sight and their assault. While she won't offer it up as an ingredient, surely it can provide some helpful insight through.... uhhh... inversion! Yes, inversion. If her figurine protects the wearer from the Abyss, then surely the inversion of some of its properties might help a person attack the Abyss. That makes sense. That totally makes sense. She'll just be standing waaaaaaaay over there while the alchemists test this theory out.

Aco will help, she's only soso with Alchemy but she's got a lot to controbute to a poison. Especially when armed with a bit of magic.

Lianne has spent the majority of her adult life studying the Abyss and its denizens, including a stretch of years specifically focused on how shards are formed. She is uniquely qualified to assist with this project and will focus her efforts specifically on concocting a poison especially effective against shards that this project might drastically reduce the hordes' horrifying numbers. She may be able to provide a shard, if the team would benefit from having a test subject.

That 'blood of a Godsworn' she was talking about? Is me!

Caspian may not know poison or magic very well, but he does know weapons and abyssal. He is quite proficient with the stabbing of and being stabbed by abyssals. There is a trick to making a blade coating, to viscous and it simply drips off, to gooey and it doesn't infect the sight. he offers his insights into weapon coatings as well as how best to fight abyssals and get the poison into their system.

Did someone say poison? Not that a Velenosa Prince who has somehow survived into his sixties would know anything about poison. Okay maybe he knows a little. And maybe he knows a little about the occult. Just maybe. And what little he theoretically does know he uses to help the Lady Medeia with her task.

Mirari is skilled at making poisons, it's something she knows a great deal about and has expert knowledge on. It's more than just alchemy, Mirari herself creates poison through magic. Mirari is also a master weaponsmith and will craft weapons specifically for this cause, seeing if there are ways to alter the weapons design to better hold the poison itself. She will focus all her skills into developing something powerful and effective.

Noah knows all about poisons. He even knows about customizing them. Using them as needed. Dosing people at parties to experiment how they work out. He even knows a few secrets here and there to make them more potent. He is more than willing to lock himself away and study it day and night. He's more than willing to assist. He's more than willing to help come up with a way to help out.

Agric may not be an alchemist, but he does know the occult and is an excellent scholar. He's going to spend time researching anything and everything that may be of use in developing this concoction, focusing on texts relating to the Abyss and similar matters of the occult.

Olivia is going to use her gift with plants to try and rush some hybridized plants that may have a greater impact on Abyssals, with the hope of creating a plant that can have extracts harmful to the intended targets.

Tamsin is not an alchemist, but she is a physician and an invoker. She will lend her necromancy powers to the experimentation, adding death energy to anyone's experiment that wants it. But her real contribution to the effort is going to be in providing leadership! She's going to help arrange lab schedules and coordinate assistants. She'll provide cheerleading to keep people interested and motivated. When things are caustic to touch, Tamsin lends her skeleton pal to carry them around. In short, she'll lead how she's been groomed to lead: by pitching in everywhere there's a gap.

Titania is not good with postions or plants. But what she is good at is talking to people and diplomacy, so she will help get materials. She will talk to those she has to, sit and explain how important this project is.

Raven helps Medeia by letting Media test the potion on one of Raven's spare weapons making sure it adheres to the blade, isn't a hazard to the wielder and so on. Additionally if there is time, Raven will try live testing the weapon with Caspian by finding a low level (non friendly!) demon like a wraith suitable to test the blade on to try to verify the effects.

It did kill a tremendous amount of shards, and certainly was successful against abyssal creatures. Whether the traps in the the catacombs did some good against Azazel is harder to say, but it likely slowled him down, considering he didn't immediately cross into the Thinnest Point.

It's been years, now, since Medeia asked how one might even the field between the Arvani and the Skal'dajans - knowing that the Eurusi mages wouldn't suffer the poisoned primum as the people of Arvum did. The result of that inquiry was the Rite of Retribution. Ever since it successfully turned the mages' work against them - making them have to be more judicious in their magic use and allowing a reprieve for the Arvani, Medeia has been thinking about what else could be done.

As she researched magic and plants more broadly, she came to find useful information on plants with special properties. Things like Elfblight Orchids and Sundraw. Combined with her notes on previous attempts to clear Thornweave vines across the Lyceum and Crownlands, a (failed) attempt to create a new poison to act against the vines, successful efforts to help extract primum from plants under Blush's guidance, and some good old fashioned creativity, the lady has worked to secure the assistance of Prince Tyrval Ael'Noctis - whose writings formed part of her research - to create a new ritual. One which can be used to help against the Metallic Traitor. With others offering their help, even knowing the risks, she gathers materials and begins to focus her intent, inviting her companions to assist - whether that is through active participation in the experimentation or simply providing support by protecting the transport of materials, being on hand to observe and fetch help if something goes terribly wrong, or being a trusted confidante that might provide some other insight.

First, she needs a few elfblight orchids. Though most in the city were wiped out during that wretched storm (supposedly), in the wake of that storm, Medeia had gained permission from Lou to do some new propagation tests. Those tests never happened, but if Lou won't provide a few from the Grayson estate, the Saik lady hopes Tyrval might be able to supply a few. These plants are known to be useful against Legion, and if watered with blood, they will sicken Sylv'alfar. Second, Medeia turns to Thea for Sundraw. Having done some experimentation with the plant known to be effective against blight already, she knows that the countess has had success cultivating the plant in captivity. Third, she calls upon Mabelle to share just one of the precious plums from Artshall that are rumored to provide clarity of mind and free people from the Traitor's control. Finally, a malissite gem. This is meant to be the item which all the magical energy is stored within, a portable talisman. Why malissite? Black stones - like onyx and obsidian - are seen by some (especially Eurusi and mirrormasks) as representing strength over the "that which lies beyond" (the Abyss), and while they are often associated with demon summoning, Medeia believes that such strength over the Abyss could be important in turning Abyssal things, too. Also, malissite has some rumored trait of being like concentrated venom, weakening those in touch with it.

All together, Medeia settles into the work of the ritual with the singular purpose in mind of weakening Orichalcum so that someday the Dream can be free of his selfish, destructive terror. Her sacrifice? Her own blood - both to water the orchids and the fuel the magic.

Aconite is helping Medeia with the gardening aspects of the job. Helping in whatever way she can, transplanting, pruining, ect.

Thea will be naturally supplying as much Sundraw as she's able to Medeia. She too has had success with the killing of vines, as was done in action 4380, to be able to make suggestions here and there. Thea will help mix and and show every note from journals she's written and collected over the years.

Eirene understands a lot about magic, more than most thanks to her years of research and study. She helps with the crafting of the ritual and the placement of the items to ensure the most effectiveness in this undertaking.

Vitalis offers to participate in the Rite by making a sacrifice. He offers a ring that he had once given to the late Lord Cillian Blackwood that was representative of breaking the Traitor's chains. The ring:

a slim band tinted red embossed with links of a chain

A slim band of cupridium, carved with the links of a chain circling the wearer's finger. The links are seamless, save a single link, depicted broken, its ends twisted to form a setting, prongs lifting receive a small disc of red metal.

Mabelle apparently thinks she came to a picnic. There is a basket in her hand, within it lies a single plum (they are needed elsewhere), a preserved elfblight orchid from the Laurent garden (although being alchemically preserved, the effect might vary) and a small velvet bag containing an assortment of black stones like jet, onyx and malissite, an ingot of alaricite and an ingot of platinum. She's no foreign alchemical experiments and this is just how she views it, not a ritual, an experiment.

Years ago when Pasquale and Sunaia were still courting Orichalchum taunted her with a dream and she came to him for comfort. Afterwards Sunaia gave him a ring of mirrored stygian decorated with a star-iron moon that Pasquale wore until after Sunaia's dissapearance. It's this ring, symbol of the hurts Orichalchum caused, that Pasquale offers as a sacrifice to this ritual along with his direct participation in the ritual.

Galatea is one of the foremost apothecaries and alchemists in the Compact. As such, she lends her expertise to the ritual preparations, particularly those having to do with the various exotic plant ingredients and making sure they are properly prepared and processed.

Mirk has made it clear that he will not participate in the ritual. His stance against blood magic prohibits it. He will, however, support Medeia indirectly: He combs his personal library, the Archives, and reach out to prodigals who might have stories from their tribes of anything remotely similar. He's not expecting to find or supply a fully-fledged ritual, but any scrap of insight or knowledge that he can provide might help them succeed. Despite his personal misgivings, he does believe the goal is worthy and he wants their efforts to succeed.

Patrizio does /not/ know a great deal about magic - just drips and drabs really he's collected from others who know far more about these things than he. Though he has misgivings about the use of blood magic and may worry about how it could backfire, he recognizes that desperate times call for desperate measures, and he lends his assistance with the experimentation and protection to ensure the ritual goes off as much without a hitch as it can.

Raven has offered to assist in preparation but NOT participation in this ritual. She will help vet aspects of the ritual and offer her opinion but is not present for the ritual

Caspian is here to provide all the field testing, manual labor, and any dangerous tasks that are required. Whether it be rushing into the woods to test some concoction against a infestation, hauling large bags of dirt, debris and other things round, or simply paying bait to nasty things to test efficacy.. he is there for it! He will also attempt to help with the ritual itself. Though he has no prior experience with it, he is familiar with the foundational elements and working of magic. his sacrifice, the collar he wore as a thrall for 19 years. He seeks freedom for all, to drive back the slaver.

If there is one truly unique contribution that Mia can make to this Rite, it's a few drops of her own blood. Prince Tyrval has used Mia's blood before to lure Braxxus the Bloodsniffer and weaponize elfblight orchids against him (Action #2365) and based on comments that have been made by him about the blood connection with her father potentially flowing BOTH ways, well. What better way to build something like a sympathetic connection and ensure that this talisman weakens Orichalcum specifically than his own bloodline? It's as close to his own blood as they're likely to get.

Tyrval finally offers his questionable assistance. On the positive side, he's the second most powerful blood mage and originally helped create some of the very things they are dealing with.

On the negative side, he's Tyrval.

They do it, but it's not easy. They have to go through an extremely significant amount of elfblight orchids and sun draw, and numerous malissite gems are ruined in the attempt. It's often hard to tell what's going right or wrong, as the Crown Prince of the Nox'alfar just keeps saying, 'No.' 'Not yet.' 'Close but wouldn't quite do it.' 'Definitely not.' 'Terrible, this looks like something a Rex'alfar would fashion.' and so on until eventually there's one pendant that he holds up a hand and says, 'This should do it.'

The ritual is a process of taking elfblight orchids, sundraw, a carefully constructed talisman or pendant with arcane etchings, a ritual bowl, malissite, and then mixing it and submerging it all in a bowl of one's own blood. There's incantations and a precise method to follow, and there's nothing showy about it- there's no visible outward effect, as is the case with rituals described as 'low magic' by the Prince. Still, at the end, he's confident it provides significant protection against 'sylv'alfar magic in general, and Orichalcum in particular'. It does not, however, help with being stepped on by gargantuans or stabbed by his minions, though Tyrval suggests trying to carefully position the pendant in a way to absorb arrows.

((It's a stamina check at normal to imbue a talisman and not pass out from blood loss, and once created, on any defensive roll against sylv'alfar magic can @check twice and use the better result. Against The Horned God himself, can check twice at one tier lower difficulty- eg daunting becomes hard.))

Trouble on the Mourning Sea! Except for around Pearlspire, which has held down piracy/raiding (staff confirmed in previous requests/page conversations) because:

* the Portress (action 3141)
* careful vetting of refugees (action 3358)
* navy growth: the caravel 'Tiga' (action 3654); most recent RFR on goal #819; plus routine army purchases mean the Seliki fleet is in line with the Grayson fleet
* cooperative patrolling with Crovane and Kennex (action 3584, which ended raids on the Northlands coast; a PRP in plot 526) - understood as ongoing
* the Crovane-Seliki marriage and building of the Crovane port (action 3642)

The foundations are in place. The time has come to build out for the defense of the mainland coast.

House Seliki and friends are going to visit the various coastal islands adjacent Pearlspire, then heading northward along the mainland coastline toward Stormwall, southward toward Arx.

* Islands held by other Crownlands or Northlands holdings get help building towers
* Islands that are uninhabited get small military stations and towers built
* Islands that are inhabited get towers after...
1) peaceful outreach first, with a message about the peace from pirates and
    reavers Seliki's patrolling has provided (join us, we protect you!) +
    good trade with the mainland as benefits to swearing fealty to Seliki +
    the good care Seliki shows all its people (medicine, artisans, training)
2) those disinclined get a wary eye: if they seem to be harboring pirates/
    reavers/cultists/enemies will turn into military engagements (and Seliki
    will attempt to take and hold those islands by force)
3) disinclined but peaceful Abaondoned get additional warnings about
    threats: Shavsbane, Eurus, and will still be added to patrol routes in
    case they change their mind (Seliki chains no-one)/so that badness
    doesn't take hold.

Signal towers are built purely for function: a continuous line of signaling up and down the coast (Stormwall to Arx, Brighthold if possible) is what we want. Early warning against Eurus (or other naval forces not bearing Compact flags) attacking.

SHORTER VERSION: Take islands, build signalling towers, protect the coast with early warning. The rest is just implementation details.

Countess Consort Scythia would assist Orrin with prepations by visiting the coastal islands that are adjacent to Pearlspire. She would be avoiding any skirmishes if at all possible (and if skirmishes break out, she would be out of there like woah). Her role is in the capacity of diplomat. She would seek to survey the inhabitants, keep matters peaceful, and discreetly alert Orrin to any of those that seem to be less on the up-and-up and more hostile in nature, be it mundane or more nefarious. If she can persuade those to bend the honest folk to bend the knee, all the better.

Kaldur, Duke-consort of Stormwall, emerging from a year spent raising cavalry to patrol Stormwall, turns his attention east. He rallies his people and his vassals to the work of defending the coast, painting the picture of their defense of the mainland not just as defense of their homes, but as service to all of Arvum. The Compact supported Stormwall, helped it rebuild, and now, they must stand as sentinels and shields.

He encourages any contribution to the great effort, from the small: meals cooked, tools mended, songs sung, to the large: boatloads of timber and quarried stone.

This exhoration of effort extends to /any/ encountered, bolstering and coordinating with Scythia.

Peri uses her knowledge of war to command and work with those under her authority to

1) Manage the logistics of naval approaches to various islands, some of which may harbor dangerous and hostile elements.
2) Plan the emplacement of signal towers and work out the logistics of their use (especially in war). This will allow for expansion of the signaling network which in turn allows for quick marshaling of forces in events like invasion fleets or for marshaling help during natural disasters.
3) Perform blockades on any islands harboring hostile elements. This will shrink their resources and lead to their defeats.

Michael Bisland makes it known wide and clear that House Seliki takes precedence in naval matters across Bisland. Its true, isn't it? Admiral Peri Seliki being a Seliki and in charge of Bisland's Navy in its entirety.

No one likes dealing with the finer details. Well almost no one. Mika on the other hand does all the book keeping and the inventory tracking. She also makes sure that none of them get ripped off during this large investment. Though it is the others that go and see her work. She just makes sure that everything is in place for them when they go.

Asher knows that building a structure requires more than just good masonry these days; iron and steel are needed. The same can be said of repairs for ships. He will be on the spot as requested, to hammer out whatever is needed for the building of these temporary towers, as well as repairs for ships that invariably will take damage during any skirmishes or upon the reefs and such. If necessary, he can also repair or craft armaments for those in battle.

The Eurusi fleet on the way to Sungreet isn't all there is to worry about. There are already Eurusi ships landing with people fleeing fighting in the Dune Kingdoms - ostensibly, anyway. There's also a whole world of cultists and other servants of darkness and demons even before Eurus got into the mix, too, as Mia is well-aware. She has the language skills (Eurusi, Crownlands shav, Northlands shav) to listen in on most of the Eurusi or Abandoned they might find on Crownlands-adjacent isles, and if there are refugees that aren't really refugees -- spies or cultists or other adversarial plotters amongst the Abandoned they find -- she'll be able to find them out and signal the appropriate fighting forces. Alternatively, if there are friendly -- or at least non-hostile -- locals with misgivings about their home islands getting scooped up for this purpose, she'll be able to further help tune diplomatic messaging to address their particular concerns. Mia has, after all, taken in refugees more than once. She took in several hundred of former Abandoned that were freed in Kennex's reforms -- specifically those whose tribes had been otherwise wiped out by Thrax raiders and Abbas' plagues -- as well as tribes fleeing oncoming threats from the North and from Shavsbane during the flare ups from the Great Road and the attack on the Lodge. She has a reputation of being good on her word when she offers protection to those in need and of a willingness to work together against threats to Arvum as a whole, and a long-standing one at that.

Thesarin is not at home on boats. When it comes to the details of naval warfare, he's more than content to let Seliki's admiralty handle the overarching strategy.
On the matter of ground combat, however, he's rather undisputed as a master of the practice. The War Chief of Riven will be helping the Seliki defenses in their deployment and preparation, where they can hold and how to best allow defense and escape; on any islands where there's intractible resistance to be found, he'll lead soirties and raids to allow the defenders at their work, and drive out packets of reavers or pirates as need be. He's never been a man to shy from leading soldiers by example.

It's not cheap or easy to construct a series of watchtowers on islands, and geography doesn't make it easier, as there's certainly islands, but they aren't exactly in a perfect semi-circle around the coast or have spacing that could be ideal. Which creates a very irregular claiming of islands, and one island that's essentially a slab of rock jutting from the sea is perfect since it's several hundred feet above sea level, and building a several hundred foot tower gives immense cover over the coast, but it's a tower that will have to be supplied repeatedly at expense time and again. Still, they get it done with construction on uninhabited islands proceeding immediately, as Thesarin gives his expertise on the strategic deployment that could best give warning on likely fleet movements.

Inhabited islands are trickier.

On two islands, nomadic groups simply flee rather than talk to the Compact. Scythia manages to talk to two groups, Clan Redbone and House Waltherton. Clan Redbone is happy to bend the knee as long as their cultural traditions are respected. Like, say, cannibalism. They are pretty defensive of that, in that they only eat convicted criminals and they are cooked first so it's not like they are savages. Still, that probably won't fly. House Waltherton on the other hand claims the land where Pearlspire rests, saying they have claims to it from the time of the Reckoning. They'd settle for half of the current city being set aside for their use, or being introduced into the Compact as a great house. These seem unlikely.

But, Seliki expands its territory, and watchtowers for (nearly) complete coverage are established. It'd be nice to have the islands Waltherton or Redbone claim, but it's probably not strictly necessary.

Typical Orrin playbook: look at what's happening next door, and expect that it'll come home before long. He would very much like to avoid Shavsbane swinging up north to decorate his border like they did with Riven, and to that end, he's assembled a team to go out and do outreach with tribal leadership in the area south of Pearlspire along the coast and west to the Twainfort.

The marching orders: tell the tribes what happened, that we find the slaughter unacceptable but the torture and display utterly beyond the pale. That we are not with Grayreeve and Shavsbane, and would like to provide protection. The terms of that protection are simply swearing fealty to either Pearlspire or Riven. Neither house desires to displace the tribes from the areas settled; tribes taking this option would simply become legitimized Compact citizens under either house, a front-line of defensive forces moved as is appropriate.

It is anticipated that some of the shavs that fled the original aggression by Shavsbane on the Riven border may have fled north closer to Pearlspire, especially with the recent overtures of welcome to settlement by ex-thralls and other refugees. The team will be directed to be on the lookout for such people, singly or in groups, who can corroborate the truth of the testimony.

For those who have a personal stake in the Grayreeve/Shavsbane hostility - perhaps having lost family or friends to that slaughter - an offer will be made for them to fight with the Pearlspire or Riven infantries at The Twainfort, as outlined separately in actions 3594 (Thesarin) and 3566 (Rymarr). Non-combatant family members of anyone who fights with our forces will be offered quarter in Pearlspire, away from the main conflict, if desired. Individuals who decide to swear fealty irrespective of larger tribal choices will be offered the same.

In case it is not abundantly clear, this offer is in good faith, and troops/protection will in fact be extended. I can't be entirely clear what troop commitment that requires before the success or failure of the diplomatic action is understood, but it will be appropriate to the result.

Where Count Seliki goes, the new Countess Consort Seliki is not far behind. She will accompany her husband where she might to put to use her diplomatic skills, relying on every unbiased tool of the trade that she learned with her association with Whisper House. She would engage with the shav'avari and certainly speak of the benefits of joining the Compact, but there is a more keen focus on the fair and just rule of the Count Seliki. She has more personal experience and bias there, telling the tale of House Seliki and how they were not nobility but, through the belief of Deepwood, they were told to earn their place and they carved a place for themselves. Though less known, she would also tell the tale of Countess Riven with her Count Consort, and how it is that the Countess held to her word, married the Count, and his tribe were treated with the dignity that they deserve. She would do her best to pitch to the dramatics, to romanticize it, and have the people that she speak to seek to embrace this culture.

Where Count Orrin, Countess-Consort Scythia, and Countess Mia treat with leaders and deal with high-level strategy and appeals, Kaldur's outreach is no less pragmatic, but more out and about with the commoners of the Abandoned they meet. Shavsbane is denounced, as is Grayreeve, for the atrocities by his vassal under his authority. For any (however few) of the tribes who are shamanists, Kaldur can speak to the abhorence of the spirits for blood sacrifice which Shavsbane's murders approach in their horror and scale. He will underscore Orrin's offer to any potential recruits and family answering questions and highlighting Pearlspire's strengths as a refuge from the chaos erupting.

Mia Riven is normally a reserved woman, rarely allowing more than a flicker of emotion to pass over her face when outside her own walls or the company of dearest friends. Now, it would seem, would be no different -- save that the strength of her feelings breaks through in her impassioned conversations with the clans that they encounter in their search for other Abandoned who may soon be threatened by the Grayreeves, or fleeing Shavsbane swords.

She will explain that she cannot, by Compact law, demand justice and blood-payment for those who were slaughtered, but make no mistake about it. That her armies have not sought to set Grayford to the torch does not mean that she has not been stirred by the violent horrors reported back from her borders. Mia Riven is heartbroken. But more than that, she is ANGRY, a simple fact which cuts through her diplomatic reserve each time she speaks of it, which she does to any elder or chief that can convince to hear their party's words. The actions of those abominable Houses are an atrocity, an act she considers no less than the near-genocide of a people, and one she knows quite well was meant to terrorize the many Prodigals that have sworn to the Twainfort these last twenty years. In her heart of hearts, she knows, as she tells them now, that a man like Augustus Grayreeve will care little for whether or not they retreat from her borders or from his, whether they pledge themselves to King and Compact or not. To him, and to Shavsbane, Abandoned and Prodigal alike are and always will be less than human. His armies are a threat to Riven, and Seliki, and shav'arvani alike.

She will describe for them the banners of both Grayreeve and Shavsbane, so that if a single man or woman bearing the colors from either House is seen near the Abandoned settlements, they will know that peace -- or even armstice -- is not an option. That their only options in the face of those colors will be to flee, or to fight. Any who wish to do the latter now, should they be willing to so as her people or as Orrin's, under Riven's banner or Seliki's -- she makes it plain she is so incensed that it makes little difference to her which they might choose -- will be made welcome among the fighting forces at that Twainfort. The family of any man or woman who swears and fights with them will be given shelter behind the walls of one House or another. Those who choose to flee or simply not to swear fealty will neither be harassed nor followed. Her first interest is in seeing no more tribes destroyed by Grayreeve, and after that, for the murderous Count Augustus to meet the same sort of ignoble end he believes THEY deserve.

They are impassioned arguments that she makes, and hopefully ones that will stir the Abandoned to join them in a common cause.

Irisa speaks Crownlands Shav and isn't afraid to go speak to these people. She knows how to approach respectfully. But what's more, she isn't going alone. Irisa (with the permission of Mia) is going to bring some of their settled Prodigals. Volunteers, all of them. A couple families will be brought along that can speak well to different aspects of Shav vs Compact life. She will also be playing up the need to protect their families - all of them. Irisa is going to be very frank with them about the threats out there and what has been happening and what may be coming. The families will be allowed to go and mingle with the Abandoned as they see fit, but kept an eye on for safety reasons.

Irisa will urge them to not just be on the look-out for possible threats, but how best to react to them. What to run from and what to report. Joining the Compact would be the best way for them to have a larger defense, but if they choose not to, their lives *do* matter and some people really are concerned about them. Riven and Seliki especially want to see them healthy and happy because a strong frontier means that everyone is safer - and more prosperous.

There won't be any preference for the Abandoned to join with Riven or Seliki. This isn't about who comes out on top. This, right here, is pure diplomacy about making sure security is seen to and preventing future problems by recruiting new members.

Lise is going to travel with Orrin, acting as a translator, guide, and walking sign of good will- she stands out among any Compact. She translates, largely, in good faith. But she'll advise any would-be Prodigals about what she knows of the Seliki and the situation at large. She opens meetings with important leaders with Shamanistic incantations and traditional invocations for blessings, wisdom and protection. She does her best to present herself as the Shaman and priestess she is. Always in full paint, always ready to offer blessings and prayers to whatever local spirits and gods are honored by the people. She'll even offer invocations of the Pantheon.

But mostly, Lise wants to use the opportunity to divine the course of the Greyeeve's campaign. She wants to speak with the spirits of the area and learn what they know of Greyreeve movements and plans. This will happen mostly on nights in which there are no villages to speak with. Minor rituals, casting bones and feathers, reading the entrails of fallen animals they happen across, observing the behavior of birds. All of this speaks of what the spirits are up to. By learning these things, Lise can infer the actions and will of the spirits.

It's worse than it seemed. It was obvious purges were happening from Grayreeve and Shavsbane, but the extent becomes terrifyingly clear. The peaceful and isolated Taralissi Tribe, which was said to have several thousand through their nomadic numbers, appears to have been completely exterminated. A handful of ravashari said that as they were passing through their villages to trade, they only found burned out huts with mountains of bodies of individuals that had been forced inside and buried alive, with scores of bodies of individuals cut down that had tried to flee through pickets surrounding them. Clan Winterhawk had their camps attacked and burned out, with just a few dozen escaping to bend the knee at the Twainfort. House Brownwither clashed with Shavsbane men and fled to bend the knee at Pearlspire. One single family of the Tah'haruus Tribe speaks that they were left for dead in a mass grave, and are the only survivors out of about a thousand.

Refugees come to Pearlspire and Twainfort, bending the knee, but less than there should be. The pogrom has been widespread, and not all the soldiers were flying Shavsbane or Grayreeve colors, some weren't recognized. But through their efforts to secure their borders, any of those attempting to attack Abandoned stops well short of Riven or Seliki lands, or the lands of their vassals, and it is becoming a bastion of hope for Abandoned deciding that after years and years of independence, they must seek shelter.

Some time ago the idea of improving County Pearlspire's infrastructure was seeded. The idea began as a military effort, improving roads to improve troop movements. Which would improve trade. And like the bit of grit that eventually becomes a pearl, the idea has grown and taken shape. And grown some more. Inspired by Lord Michael Bisland, the success of the Empyrean trade route, and encouraged by Marquessa Deepwood, Lord Kaldur has begun shepherding a massive infrastructure project - an overland analog to the Empyrean Route that will set a series of trade roads through Grayson's principalities and farther. /From Stormwall to Ostria and beyond!/ says young Kaldur, with emphasis on 'and beyond.'

When the planning is done and construction begins in earnest, Lord Kaldur is a man who prefers to lead from the front when he can. In County Pearlspire he will work tirelessly alongside the men and women (and horses!) of the Seliki Engineering Corps as they plan and execute the work laid before them. He is a steadying presence with encouragement and focus at setbacks and ready with praise for work well done.

(OOC: Recommended support is 100-200 resources for Baronies and Counties, 200-500 resources for Marches and Duchies; but any and all support is welcome)

As work proceeds all over the Compact, who knows what will be discovered!!

Lady Peri Seliki has a strong relationship with the prominent traders that already flock to Pearlspire's shores and has reached out to those that she tipped off previously to some lucrative opportunities on lumber. She gathers information from them on where the best routes would benefit from roads to add to her brother's efforts and arranges for them to get the word out to others, both to fulfill the gap in transporting materials to the workers and in preparation for the new network.

Considering that some adult supervision will be required, Kalani would be happy to go along and serve as a stand-in for said-adults. Chiefly, if anyone is going to build anything, someone is bound to get hurt in the process. It's a natural outcome of people + tools = broken body parts.

Samantha is wholeheartedly invested in this notion, especially with Old Oak (presumably) being one of the stop points on the road. She'll invest resources into its creation, and encourage the hiring of the March's population for all levels of its creation. She will also look into facilitating the formation of security for the road, and aid in the diplomactic and economic efforts surrounded projecting its cost to create and projection of its maintenance.

As a purveyor of stone, particularly granite and marble, Grazia is going to have stone shipped to the Selikis for Pearlspine. Some of the stone will be used for the very roads it is to be transferred along, but the bulk of it will be sailed along the coast to the actual port city to be used to build the harbor. This is an important trading endeavor, and Grazia expects that due to the long-term nature of the project that it will offer a nice economic boost for her quarries.

Aviaron's Peak rests atop a MOUNTAIN, which means its architects and workers have experience working in... the MOUNTAINS. So Rhea will consult with her stewards to put together a crew of advisors and workers to help with Kaldur's project, lending them valuable experience. Aviaron's Peak will also provide any necessary metal for the project at a discount.

As stewards and protectors on the roads of Arvum, and as followers of Gild who favors trade, civilization and hospitality, the Knights of Solace lend their aid to the project with the promise that it will feature a few Solace waystations and shrines for pilgrimage. Thena offers the Solace soldiers stationed near the proposed route for protection and manpower. She also sends resources and silver for the project. Once complete, the route will be added to the Knights of Solace regular coverage.

Ann believes in Kaldur's efforts for a trade route and signs Stormwall up, understanding that he needs support in many ways to see success in the long run.
*She puts her economic mind to use, saving Kaldur where she can and maximizing profits.
*Pours over paperwork with him to make sure no one is pulling a fast one on him.
*Assigns Crovane's reserves to patrol the route inside Crovane lands.
*Uses her Inquisitorial contacts to make sure no one is sharing the details of the road to those outside of the Compact for their own benefit.

Michael Bisland rounds up maps and engineers who know how to READ said maps to help a vassal in need. Or in want. Since Kaldur doesn't /need/ these roads but he sure does love to talk about it. So much. Just constantly. Leave me alone, I helped!

Grady is following Samantha's lead here, helping smooth the way for increased security and infrastructure between Pearlspire and Old Oak, ideally helping both domains grow stronger and more secure. He talks to people, he negotiates, he encourages the soldiers, and he keeps a careful eye out for any rising arguments, moving to help quell those as swiftly as possible.

Gabriel Bisland is encouraged by the younger generation's drive to see the Compact reach new heights. He adds the weight of the mighty House Bisland to the project. Not only to fund the improvement (or new construction of) roads in Pridehall, but so that the project over all might avoid the danger of dipping into the red.

Giulio will assist in helping those that wish it in building a uniform code / set of agreements to make the best money they can on this.

Stonewood is no stranger to road building, having recently refurbished the road to Pridehall that helped put them on the map. What's not on the map, however, is a great way to cross the river at Stonehearth. So in coordination with this network of roads, Malesh will oversee the creation of a bridge or ferry (whichever is more practical/profitable) crossing the Gray River not far from the docks at Stonehearth.

Recognizing the opportunities for trade and also for his house, Fecundo is lending his diplomatic skills to getting the project moving, working through any of the lands where the road is planned to go. It also doesn't hurt that he'll be able to point to the quality of output from the Gemecitta stone.

Etienne has a vested interest in the pursuit of the expansion of civilization, trade, commerce, and the cause of safe journeys. All of which are accomplished by a well funded and functional transportation system. Etienne will be contributing silver generously provided by the Faith as well as speaking well of the endeavor whenever possible to those that need help convincing. Etienne would indicates the funds are for the builders, and those that support them, soldiers, cooks, and the like. Etienne would also be on hand for cutting any ribbons with hilariously large scissors.

Eddard uses all of his wiles and charm to help speed along permits and coax constructions crews to take on the needed jobs. If Duskshire ends up on the new set of roads, thats not so bad, eh?

Lord Bedivere Whitehawk will be acting on behalf of his dear newphew (Baron Silas Whitehawk) to lead forth Whitehawk soldiers to help out on the road project for Lord Kaldur Seliki. Bedivere himself will be out there as a managerial force to help out every day.
He seeks the help of huntsmen and cartographers in the area to help map the road around mountainous and hilly terrain to connect agricultural communities.
Since gravel and paving is time-consuming and expensive, wood is used in these instances to limit excessive sliding on the steeper side of a hill.
Whitehawk soldiers are deployed to help with security and digging where soil is already worn away, close to the bedrock, so muck will be less of a concern.

While the Volkov Woods is one of the newer areas of the map, and that they may not come anywhere near the proposed current trade route - Ruslan is hopeful that someday, when the trade route starts to create the terciary routes, that the Volkov Woods would be part of this future. As such, he has created a small patrol of 150 troops to be sent to provide security and protection for the crews along the route.

Lady Rey Laveer, as Voice of Laveer and a Mercy has decided that roads are more than needed to connect trade routes, but as a side not would be good for movement of healers to farther reaches of Arx. And has offered her House's support as well as her personal support to the Roads Project.

Given the Twainfort's traditional seat as a trading hub due to its control of the fork of the Mother in the Daughter and Son Rivers, it's simply good sense to see that more and more overland routes from far-flung, land-locked Houses can reach Riven's ports and speed the passage of their goods along its way. Mia will work with a number of her advisors, particularly those most familiar with the landscape and locations throughout her County, and those recently joined Prodigals from surrounding areas of the Gray Forest to find the appropriate blend of transversible but also defensible routes through the woodlands.

In her role as minister of upkeep to Inverno, Mirella will be working on behalf of the house to aid Lord Kaldur's project. Alongside advisors from house Inverno she'll be investigating the safest and most convenient routes for roads to the island city of Caina and any surrounding settlements, as well as figuring out required costs prior to these roads being built. She'll share this research with the Seliki Engineering Corps and assist them in any way that's helpful and beneficial to Inverno and Seliki. She'll also be donating 100 economic resources to the project, representing Inverno's ministry of income rising to the task to provide funds.

Though their home is an out-of-the-way island, the Truesworn are often keen to participate in the broader life of the Compact. A grand project to improve the infrastructure of the coastal trade routes evidently meets with the Truespeaker's approval. Sudara duly brings to bear all the Setarcan know-how and book-learning she can muster, in guiding her people through work to develop Esterhold's internal structure and develop its external trade.

Tenebrae, a warrior above all things, will help in this endeavor by both allocating and commanding soldiers to protect the works, as well as using soldiers as workers on the Isle of Esterhold. They will be learning from the engineers as much as possible, while also ensuring no resources go missing, and protecting lives. This protection also applies to guarding the sea lanes to ensure the transport of resources, skilled craftsmen, and the money to pay them.

The Marquessa of Nilanza is happy to supply as much as we can of the materials and labor required for the stretch of road to be built across the march, if the engineers to see it through can be provided by other means. Then we, House Malespero, can contribute both economic and social resources to the effort, and to all upkeep.

Belladonna has received an invitation to take part on Kaldur's new efforts to build a more cohesive network of roads for commerce. She will be seizing that opportunity and trying to convince other lords, traders, merchants, crafters, etc, to join in with some of their own resources, thus investing much of her Social pull into this. She wants to make Setarco, the whole island, a place of culture and wealth. She will know places to avoid and where the roads should go through.

Lord Sebastian Pravus will be visiting Setarco during January of 1010 as part of some other work. While there, he will talk with local contacts to get an understanding of the breadth and scope of work needed to build roads on the island, as well as the best ideas for placement to assist the engineering corp. Additionally, he will assist the project by spruiking the benefits of a well-built trade road far and wide with his many contacts in Arx and especially within the Pravus lands to drum up additional support and interest in the project and its potential benefits to the local economy.

Following her sister's lead, Celeste is offering her expertise in terms of patrol schedules, strategic importance to areas, most likely to be ambushed here... that kind of thing. She'll further take effort to extol the virtues of this project to important and influential figures in Arx and Setarco.

Mikani helps Kaldur understand the unique location that is Redreef. She gathers funds and encourages the infrastructure project through out her Barony. Mikani addes in economic resources to help with the building of the roads and other paths knowing that anything can be useful.

Baroness Skye Blackshore is a founder of the Empyrean Trade Route. She provides all the mappings where the ships will stop along the way, providing recommendations for fortifications so that goods can be transfered from the ships to the land. Then she will using her mapping skills and knowledge of war to figure out potential ambush points and provide that to people who are going to managing security of this route. She will also use her economic skills to assist Duchess Ann with negotiating better building rates, using her woodworking and infrastructure talents to make sure they get the necessary supplies for building without spending to much.

Dycard is going to help out with the persuading of people that this is a good idea and one that should be supported. After all, roads help farmers get their produce to market as well as letting military forces travel much faster, and that has to be to everyone's benefit come tax-time, right?

Tyde lands are connected both by more traditional roads on Tyde Isle, but more often by more watery roads. Increased trade is good by land, but with goods arriving all the time and boats being a bit more infrequent but with larger cargo capacity than a cart, it is important that there are places to store the goods and efficient places to load and offload. As part of Kaldur's efforts, and to connect this large Grayson road network to the Empyrean and the Isles, Tyde makes land and resource available for the construction of proper warehousing and expanded stone piers to allow for efficient offloading, and offer this same expertise to help build them on the Grayson shores.

Mirk had planned something similar himself, so there's no hesitation when he's offered the chance to connect Whitehold and Cascade Springs to this planned network of roads. As the Minister of Coin for the Halfshavs, he brings some of his House's resources to the table: chiefly stone for the main roads, but also access to scouts with experience finding routes through the mountains. He acts mostly as a diplomat and negotiator, working with others to see to it that those resources are used where they'd be most effective.

Magnus will participate by guiding and assisting in the direction and protection of the roads approach to the Bonespire and surrounding winter wasteland. Utilizing his tactical and martial aptitude he will make himself available to personally advise on any potential known threats or Shav'arvani bands in the area's which they pass through as well as coordinate the protection of all participants with other collaborative members of the team, to include the usage of a detachment of assigned Bone Warden's.

With the building and improving of roads into the far reaches of the Compact, some things might be discovered-- or rediscovered that are best left alone or need a Shaman's expertise to navigate. Volcica will be lending all of her skills to this effort, making sure the spirits remain content in Stahlben's lands and as far out as she can help.

House Ravenseye will happily do their part to be included in a road project to try and make their remote area a little more accessible. Cadern will be sending out missives to Ravenseye and some of their neighbors to avoid any ruffled feathers and ensure things get handled amenably for the usually isolated northerners.

As Voice of Steelhart, Col will invite the trade road to Highhill and provide some military support and strategy as needed to ensure everything is kept safe.

Believing this to be a good endeavor for his house (roads are great for horses), Count Philippe signs up for the project. Alongside his officials, they lay the foundation for dirt paths, making sure to disturb as little as possible of their natural resources by routing the road system through ground that has already been used. Philippe is adamant about raising ranger stations for the Knights of Solace on these roads.

The Rivenshari know other roads, those of the water ways that move through the lands. Which is not a bad thing, they can use that knowledge to help intergrate the two road ways together as well as the roads that will run through Riva. Eshra puts her best minds to this, with the Knights of Solace already having a barracks in Riva and the trade routes that have already been established.

Sasha is gather up 500 economic writs, 500 social writs, and 500 military writs for the roads coming through Giant's Reach. She is also offering to aid with the spreading of the good word of the trade route.

As Marquis of one of the more remote holdings, Gaston is thrilled at the prospect of expanding the Roads and making Cloudspine more accessible. Aside from lending Blackram's political support for the effort, Gaston will also dedicate silver, and military resources to help protect the engineers as they work through expanding into the wilder parts of Arvum.

Cullen will work with his brother-in-law, Lord Alessandro, to make sure that the section of the road that will link Greenhaven to the network (by running along the south bank of the river and establishing a ferry system just west of the fork, ideally with the aid of Rivenshari river captain expertise) will be well-defended during its construction. He will take personal command of a troop of light cavalry and archers. He will also inform any other soldiers, including the engineers, where the safest - and most dangerous - places in the area lie, and how best to fight in the region.

As Minister of Upkeep for Greenmarch, Alessandro is eager to collaborate on a project such as Lord Kaldur has put forth. He will work with the Seliki engineering corps, as well as all other engineers who are assisting, to devise the best route through Greenmarch lands for the roads, perhaps partly running near the river as suggested by his brother-in-law, Lord Cullen, for easier trade with those houses such as Rivenshari and others who are at the forefront of maritime trade. He will also assist with bookkeeping, allocations of funds if necessary, and various economic portions of the endeavor, should it be needed.

The Voice of House Lyonesse takes a personal hand in the great roadworks project, enthusiastic for the potential of growth it can bring to Lyonesse lands and its people. Lady Jenessa temporarily returns to Lyon's Redoubt to assist, providing insight into the geography of the area as well as the best routes for travel. Not only does she oversee the exchange of lumber for proper stones for the road surface, she also plots out the route itself with the Seliki engineers and Lord Kaldur. Furthermore, the Lyonesse offers use of what sailworthy ships they possess to expedite the transport of building materials up and down the river to the surrounding holdings of those involved. Not only is time spent and investments made, but Jenessa further encourages the locals of Lyon's Redoubt to make the experience a memorable one for the visiting engineers and Lord Kaldur himself, throwing a modest but personal banquet for the guests of House Lyonesse and all the workers who put in time and labor.

Reigna had been planning on building roads throughout Oakhaven to stimulate trade and facilitate troop movements throughout the March. Kaldur's plans dovetail perfectly into this plan, and she shifts her focus from just Oakhaven to the surrounding areas as well. She will be contributing resources from wood and stone, to engineers and laborers to help with the construction.

Olivia will draft a plan for House Ashford's particiaption, along with providing some necessary material support. Given her area of expertise, she will prioritize roads in Ashford territory to provide good access to typical regions of agricultural surplus so that these products can be moved to market more quickly without risk of spoilage.

Lilia Telmar offers maps and recommendations for routes through the Temarch, with particular diligence paid to their placement in respect to pre-existing towns and trading routes. She's trying to find that sweet spot between maximum efficiency in road construction and minimum disruption to the people of the land, who might like to use the roads but who don't want to give up their lands. She's tagged a particular river crossing for the establishment of a new bridge, and indicated that it is likely to become the site of a thriving inn catering to travelers.

In an effort to bring more interesting people to Acorn Hill, and support the travel development plan, Tessa is personally funding the construction of an inn in the town of Acorn Hill, with stables enough for larger groups of merchants, mercenaries and travellers that may be passing through. The Golden Dame, as the inn is called, also keeps a very comfortable room always open and free of charge to any musicians or entertainers that are willing to perform for their supper so to speak. The HOPE is that this will make the stays for every one more pleasent.

Kritr will put people working towards a road in the land he controls to link it with the rest of the road system and accept whatever help of engineers is offered.

House Grayson will be taking advantage of the economy of scale of the overall effort to acquire the supplies to improve the existing roads surrounding Bastion and Arx at favorable rates, with an eye to planning linkages for future expansion to the ducal territories of the Crownlands.

Saikland Greens is a small area but a link and a junction along the path between areas to the north and Iasu to the west and Ostria to the south should the route extend that far. The route, if it succeeds, is an opportunity for networking with other houses and fealities, for enhanced trade opportunities. The mappers, guards and engineers provided by Lord Kaldur to begin the initial planning and feasibility of the route are welcomed and she accompanies them during one of her trips to Saikland to make sure they find places that do not disturb the farming and vineyard, existing businesses, have resting points with water, camping areas, spots near villages and military posts for protection and provisions. They plan out areas to avoid such as difficult stream fords, the small bog to the south that moving inland a bit can circle. Lucita adds some of her military forces to the group as they look over the areas to the south and north and around the perimeter of Saikland, careful not to intrude into Fidante Holdings but to see the locations and condition of any existing routes and trails, help secure the areas within and adjacent to Saikland and the number and location of any abandoned groups along the way. Her charm and propaganda skills can sooth the way and help persuade some to join the compact rather than resist and prey upon the merchants using such a trade route. Once areas are secured, she will assess to see if improvements to her docks becomes necessary.

Sabella is well aware of the issues that might come up with this road and so she is ready to be on hand to talk it up to anyone and everyone that wants to listen. And even those that don't want to listen, painting a picture for people of the Compact of safe, faster travel and trade, and trying to pitch it to the Shavs that instead of having Compact people traipsing their way everywhere through their lands this will keep them all in one place and hey, they can set up stalls to sell them products along the way and everybody wins! Yay roads!

Tikva thinks this is a terrible idea. She has been repeatedly insistent that it is a terrible idea whenever it has come up. However, a number of her vassals are insisting on involving themselves in it anyway, and despite her best efforts to persuade him and others otherwise, the help of House Grayson has been sought. It is not in her to refuse what aid she can offer in order to defray some of the hazards that she perceives in creating a massive overland trade route through lands that are not held by the Compact. She does what she can to ensure that any workers are actively protected by soldiery, that there are relay stations set up along the route that she believes to be an ultimately doomed project so that messages and emergency cries for help when the raiding parties come can help protect them. Tikva does not anticipate that her efforts will be able to prevent anything from ending in disaster, loss of life and potential deep economic distress for those houses embarking on an ill-advised venture, but at least if she does something to try to stave off some of the worst, maybe she can mitigate the damage to people who insist on failing to follow her good advice.

Niklas will mostly make jokes about how they should extend the road to Stormward. Like, hey guys, why can't we do a road to Stormward? This is a massive undertaking, but you know what would really make you guys legends? Uh. A road to Stormward. Really, he'll keep doing it until people are annoyed with him. But only the people who are actually working on the project. For everyone else the celebrity prince will turn on the megawatt smile and gladhand like the white hot grease fire of charm and charisma he happens to be. He's no good with a sword, he doesn't run his own domain and he doesn't have an army to offer, but what he does have are contacts who can help to make sure the money gets to where it needs to be and parts more easily from those who may be reluctant to turn it over. Call it monetary logistics. You don't need to know what you're moving, you just need to move it.

As Minsiter of Infrastructure for the Crown, Jaenelle understands the captial city is certainly a hub of activity. Arx will continue to assist where needed, making sure the roads leading to and from Arx are kept safe to the traders as well as making sure the steets themselves are kept free from holes, cracks, or anything that might make travel harder. Jaenelle's focus will be the roads directly around Arx.

Jennyva has been given permission from Duke Malcolm to sign Graypeak up for this project and contribute writs, time, whatever Kaldur may need. Her expertise is in negotiations and marketing and she ensures that the merchants know to use these new roads to their advantages.

As a capable steward and Voice for Blackram, Teagan has stepped up to oversee her family's participation in this expansive project. As remote as the Cloudspine is, such a road will be greatly beneficial. She will gladly see to aiding in what ways she can beyond providing what Blackram will for the connection of their holdings to the road: primarily with her economic skills.

Sir Andry Bayweather seems more then interested in the idea of helping connect the compact into a more unified whole and is helping arrange patrols with the Knights of Solace as well putting in work to arrange funding for any sections which otherwise seem to be neglected

Seymour believes an effort like this can only further enhance the trade network between fealties, to the benefits of trade at all levels. Seymour is ensuring that there are ample resources to ensure the holdings in Stormwall and Ashford he is responsible for can be a part of this, and to establish new trade posts for Oak Mercantile where the need for additional trade along the new route may exist.

The Great Road is easily one of the most ambitious projects launched in recent years in the Compact, though the scope is so vast and the current state of travel in the Compact is so dangerous that it verges on quixotic. Still, the bold ambition is embraced by scores of notables in the Compact, and ambitious or no, they get to work with the massive project.

There are numerous challenges. First and foremost, the traditional respect for the autonomy of every domain holder. The Compact has always had paths, or even rough mud roads between major thoroughfares, and the Knights of Solace have long patrolled many of the most popular, but the proposed brand new road attracts notice of every domain holder that they would pass through, and this is hundreds of them. The majority welcome the increase in trade... provided a) it doesn't stir up an Abandoned response and b) that they aren't responsible for patrolling it with their own funds. That is relatively little help, and they are happy to profit from it, if it is at no cost to them. A smaller number enthusiastically welcome it, and are EAGER for an Abandoned response, and are actively looking forward to doing battle with their hated enemies. Particularly in the Oathlands, there's talk about 'cleansing their lands for good and all', which goes well outside the bounds of a friendly trade agreement, and is more than a little worrisome. Some of the talk goes well past a little worrisome, in fact. And a very few outright refuse to have any new road built on their land, despite all reasoning, pleading, threats, forcing the road to be built entirely around some random baronies and counties that simply do not wish to risk any sort of conflict with Abandoned or increase the flow of riff-raff through their borders.

But with initial agreements signed up, then comes construction. This is thousands upon thousands upon thousands of miles of road to build a road that unites the different domains on somethnig more than dirt, often overgrown, hunting paths. The sheer engineering this takes in laying down the stones and creating the waystations will stand as one of the most remarkable marvels done in the Compact in centuries. Much of the land goes through Abandoned controlled territory, even if it is ostensibly owned by the Compact, but the amount of forces brought make most of the Abandoned steer clear aside from the odd skirmish here and there as the road is being built with overwhelming force. But the key words are 'as the road is being built'.

The good news is that trade spikes up immediately, and many of the traders in the Compact are absolutely thrilled to have better overland paths in order to move their goods when rivers are inaccessible or impractical. It's a boon many of the domains, and the economic consequences should be strong, in the long term. The bad news is that there simply are not anywhere near enough Knights of Solace in the Compact to patrol thousands of miles of road. Certainly they do what they can, but the raids start immediately, and in great force, and the losses from the Knights of Solace start to mount, even as caravans start to hire sellswords and travel in greater numbers for protection. Which in turn, has prompted stronger raids. Much stronger.

The Great Road is an economic success, overall, despite the raids. And fame comes with such a large, daring project. But the social and political consequences are another matter all together, and those will be forthcoming.

Reese would like to encourage the Shavs she had ready to bend the knee for a barony to instead bend the knee to Deepwood and Riven somewhere along the lines of half and half. Not wanting to part families or anything like that, she will try to keep people together who want to stay together and will worry about that over being exactly even. She will once again not force anyone bend the knee, but instead will try to rely upon her charm and diplomacy to encourage such. She will stress the need to be safe from the slaver as a reason. Anyone who changes their mind about bending the knee will not be forced. With this she hopes to protect those she gathered to bend the knee from being taken by the slaver, but she also hopes to help increase the size of Riven and Deepwood. She hopes to strengthen her bonds with them and her image as a protector of the Gray Forest. She is going to encourage Countess Mia and Marquesa Samantha to help with such and will support them setting their own terms when it comes to bending the knee. Beyond not forcing the issue, she will honor and aid Mia and Samantha in doing things their way. Although she is pretty sure they wouldn't force anyways and has great faith in their ability to handle this well.

    (ooc note: This going to be done in place of getting the barony for Reese. She would rather the people safe and sworn houses she has faith in then waiting for around.)

Samantha of couse, is mad happy with the notion of adding land and people to her domain. As Mia has already indicated, she will want to more or less go through her now familiar process when it comes to incorporating would-be prodigals. She'll want to meet with the Shav'arvani leadership of the tribes and clans who want to consider swearing fealty to her, as much for them to talk to her as it is for her to talk to them. She'll offer a clear overview of Old Oak law and her expectations (she has not, to date, demanded her people join the Faith), and she'll want to address their expectations in return. She has the means to let her reputation speak for her, but she will also do some outreach with the shav'arvani population that is hoping to be incorporated, take time to expose herself to their particular clan culture and lives. Basically showing that she cares about respecting their way of life. If all goes well, assuming the 50/50 split Reese has proposed, she sit down with their leaders along with Mia and Reese, to determine the border between county and March.

Mia will do as she has so often done with the shav'arvani -- ride out to meet with them herself, and speak to them of all the possibilities of their future together, strenghtened by one another. To this point, she will wish to meet with the leaders of all of the clans and tribes, to hear out their concerns, their requests, their requirements. The utmost respect will be shown to them and to their elders over the course of these discussions, and each point addressed not with vague promises but with specific, pertinent examples of situations faced by others who have joined her banners, with frank honesty given as to their results and current state as best she is able. She will lay forth her own, which are simple enough, as they pertain to the laws of Riven and the requirements of the Compact. Mia will point, too, to the large number of Prodigals that have settled in the County in the last fifteen years, and what has become of them -- their lives, their fortunes, their successes, and yes, their service. Emphasis will be placed on the dire circumstances which Riven and the Greenwoods found themselves in once, with strong comparisons made to the threats made by the Horned God and his minions now, and how each may assure the survival of the other now as was done then, with Thesarin to stand as evidence of the benefits of unity. She will, too, speak of her future hopes and plans for the County -- for developing its lands, for strengthening its defenses, and soon for expanding its armies, all of which may provide opportunity for those who have been displaced from their homes and forced to abandon their property in the face of current threats, thus giving them hope of a more secure future for them and for their children. (NOTE: I have not added resources to this as I was uncertain if they'd be needed, based on Reese already having the people. However, if they would be beneficial to the outcomes as outlined in my/our OOC intent, then I am more than happy to contribute 250 Econ/350 Social from my personal inventory.)

Thesarin will, once again, be riding into the Grey Forest to welcome the Prodigals into the Compact. His own example, he hopes, will serve as a show of the treatment of Abandoned in the Houses of Deepwood and Riven, and he hopes his reputation (mixed though it might be) will carry weight to people in the Grey Forest. As the Prodigal Count-Consort of a largely Prodigal land, welcoming to many peoples, and with his own fame (or infamy) to draw on, he hopes to peacably gain lands and people; with his experience fighting the Slaver's monsters in the woods, and with the fang of Braxxus the Bloodsniffer set at the pommel of his sword, he looks to show the dangers they face and the protection he offers.

The current state of the Gray Forest creates great risk for the average person unaffiliated with the Compact. With Old Oak and its ruler prepared to accept more potential citizens, Rymarr's duties are in need once again. Security is increased in the interest of providing these latest individuals seeking to join with the March with added safety. Rymarr has progressively become more and more accustomed to directing and coordinating large groups of people; first as the Marquis of Lyon's Redoubt, then onward to the King's Own, the Iron Guard, and of course as the military leader of House Deepwood. Outside of warfare, there's plenty of opportunity and reason to employ such skills in the aid of both those committing themselves once more to joining the Compact through House Deepwood and House Deepwood itself.

Of course Rymarr would be missing a golden opportunity not to put on a little show for their arriving citizenry in the form of putting their finest troops forward in hopes of inspiring some of their potential new citizens into enlisting in the ranks of House Deepwood's 2nd Banner.

So they are happy to serve. Maybe a little too happy, in fact. There's one very respected Abandoned priest named Rufus Proudwood who heartily endorses Reese's message, and encourages the different shav groups to settle on Deepwood and Riven lands. Not shamanistic at all, but definitely a divergent line of Pantheon worship that seems to hold Petrichor as the One True God and All Others Are Subservient Before Him And His Wilds, the Divine of the Dirt has been gaining a lot of traction among abandoned groups as of late, and it's a version of worship that is why the Proudwoods were cast out of the Compact during the Elven War. Now the prodigals all bending the knee to Samantha and Mia seem to listen to Thesarin and Rymarr and go out of their way to avoid creating problems, and the patch of proudwood land does pass to Riven while most of the people pass to Deepwood, but some of Rufus' teachings are a little odd. One common sermon supposedly was, "THE GREAT HORNED BEAST IS COMING FOR US ALL! WE NEED TO PROTECT HIS DAUGHTERS OR ELSE ALL IS LOST! WHEN THE CENTIPEDES RISE TO EAT EVERYONE AND FORM SHACKLES OF WRITHING BUGS AROUND THEM, ONLY HIS DAUGHTERS WILL SAVE US!" And so on. It's quite apocalyptic. The proudwoods and their get are VERY happy to settle on Riven and Deepwood lands for some reason.

As for Rufus? Well, accordingly right as they were all about to finally bend the knee, he ran off screaming into the woods saying that 'It had finally come for him!' and was found in a ditch with his barely recognizable devoured form covered in centipedes. So nothing too strange.

Lou is taking a group of scouts, guards, linguists, healers, and diplomats out into the Crownlands to do a general census and survey of the Shav'arvani clans. She is interested in getting knowledge about how many there are, their wants and desires, and to see if any of them would be open to negotiations about joining the Compact -- but is not asking them to join. Mostly, she's having her people gather information to take back to the King so he can make an informed decision regarding the shav'arvani populations moving forward. Her part in this will largely be for scouting purposes, to get people to the known shav'arvani clans she's visited. The guards will be there for protection purposes only (represented by military writs.)

She does not ask them to bend the knee, nor does she make threats that they must bend the knee. This is a diplomatic journey, as a way to open the door further down the road. It is, in essence, a first contact experience in order to bring back information to the King. And they are doing this all very, very quietly, or at least as quietly as they are able.

As part of the diplomacy, she'll have healers on standby to help any who might be suffering from diseases or injuries, and to share information about healing techniques with each other. She'll bring small gifts for the clans of things she feels they might need (represented by the addition of economic resources), and ask the diplomats to dispense with them where they think they will be most useful, and have the diplomats do the most talking with the aid of the various linguists. Generally, the message is to promote compromise and peace.

Lou is also interested in exploring their knowledge base with goings on of the shav'arvani villages in as much as whether or not people are still disappearing. If she feels the situation is appropriate, she'll ask to speak to any talented singers within the group, and offer them the knowledge of the Wolfheart Rhymes (@clues Wolfheart Rhymes, Part 1 and Wolfheart Rhymes, Part 2) without saying what tribe she got them from. She doesn't know much about the Rhymes themselves, other than that the people she went with to find them felt that they, in some way, offered protection -- especially Part 1 -- from the slaver and the gargantuans. It is not knowledge that can be researched, but it is knowledge she shares freely with those that seem to be friendly and untainted. She's not certain if the Rhymes will be useful or not, but figures it doesn't hurt to pass them along.

Prior to leaving Arx, Mia will be scouring for any information she can find on the areas they're heading to and the tribes that might be there. Historical records and maps are all well and good, yes, but she has the benefit of more recent information -- the masses of people that have flocked to her banners in the last year, ranging from the 10,000 that joined her a year past to the recent refugees that have joined the Compact. What she can gather, she will share with their scouts and diplomats, in order to help guide their movements.

Once done, Mia will be acting primarily as a diplomat (with the benefit of her skill in linguistics and her knowledge of multiple shav dialects) and as a healer, providing assistance to those who are part of the various tribes they come into contact with. She's long tended her husband's wounds, so the site of blood disturbs her little, and with several children of her own, she's familiar enough with the ailments of childhood. For as cool and reserved as she can sometimes seem, the locals may note that Mia has a particular fondness for children. A great deal of attention is paid to them and their needs and if she happens to earn the regard of any of the tribes for gentle care of the smallest and most vulnerable among them, or learn any new songs or rhymes from the children? Well, all the better.

Also accompanying her will be supplies, represented by my addition of economic resources to the action, in particular a number of leathers and furs that are common goods at the Twainfort. It's winter, after all, and a hard life out in the wilds. Someone needs to see them through to spring.

Despite the presence of hired guards, Valarian - as an expert with his blade - will be dressed non-threateningly, but keep his sword at his side and remain close to Lou and the other expedition members to ensure their safety.

Samantha will be participating as a member of the diplomatic team. She will be tapping her shav'arvani contacts in advance to let them know about the delegation while stressing the lack of any need to bend the knee, in the hope that they will encourage the clans and tribes encountered to be receptive to diplomatic approach.  She will make sure her fellow diplomats and others on the mission who are not otherwise educated on whatever traditions for the groups they encounter that she has knowledge of in order to show respect (obviously some of them will be well educated, like Mia). She'll basically do the job she's become known for. In addition to this, she will have a squad of the Deepwood Rangers come with the group, both as part of their security and defense (scouting, and the like), as well as to openly display the kind of elite position a Prodigal can achieve within the Deepwood military in particular. No recruitment, nor as Lou indicated, any bending knee requests or demands, but letting them see Prodigals in an advantageous position.

Oswyn is along as a field medic/healer. He pitches in a few resources for the procurement of gifts as well. Mostly, he's there to tag along, tend to any injuries or illnesses, and teach what he can about medicine.

Caspian is working to protect the group. His main objective is to stab what needs to be stabbing, and to not stab what doesn't need to be stabbing. He'll also give out candy to the children, because these kids probably never had candy before! Poor kids.

Lou's expedition into the Gray Forest does not come without risk. This is a forest that lately has been reported to potentially house gargantuans, cultists, and other denizens that serve the Horned God. And so Lou assembles a small but quiet group - swift moving, diplomats and scouts and warriors too. They even take Oswyn along in case they need a field medic.

And so they go, reaching out. Lou is the Pathfinder for the Explorers' Guild for a reason - she is very, very good at what she does. She scouts the safest places, the best paths to their destinations. Some villages they find in tact. Others not so much - some show signs of complete abandonment, hastily done. Each of those has a small shack at the outskirts, half-built. Some show signs of complete destruction, and where Lou once knew of a shav tribe's home there are only the charred remnants of wood and fallen burnt stone. Still others are worse - in perfect working order, devoid of people, and in the center of the villages a plaque. "Slaves," some read. "Sacrifice," others read. "Fodder," still others.

When they do find villages now, Samantha and Mia work the diplomatic angle and, being known to the shav here well, the Marquessa and the Countess find themselves quite well received indeed. These villagers want to talk about the Horned God, and are willing to do so to any who will listen.

What unfolds is a tale of sorrow and grief. They never know, they say, when they might be visited by the Horned God's cultists. Some villages have taken to a nomadic life to try to avoid being found. Others simply know that they'll be found wherever they are. The situation is ripe right now for someone to come and claim the land, in truth. "There's a rumor that says that if someone powerful enough has claim to you, then he can't just up and take. He needs permission." Whether it's true or not, the leaders insist, their people believe it. So while some shav are willing to take their chances? Others might be very willing indeed to bend the knee indeed.

With Caspian and Valarian there, talk also turns to protection of the villages. It seems there are less martial activities going on than one might suspect. "He's not raising an army," says one grizzled warrior. "An army we could fight. Or join. He's raising a religion. Cultists. Magic. Demons. Slaves. He doesn't care if you're willing, and all he wants is more sacrifices. More of the right kind of sacrifices that is, but I don't know what those are except we aren't special enough. Sometimes we hear rumors of horrifying giant monsters, but we haven't seen those in this place. And when his cultists come through, sometimes we hear whispers - they're focused on sacrificing everything at the Lodge, and they're looking for 'The Blood.' Whatever that is, it's hidden, even from his cultists, and they're very, very angry about that."

All in all, it's a successful journey - they bring back intelligence and information, and no one dies - but it leaves more uncertainty than ever.

With the news that many shav'arvani tribes are fearful for their lives in the face of the Horned God, Samantha has decided to attempt what she has previously done successfully: open her borders to shav'arvani refugees, without obligation of joining the Compact, but with the requirement that they adhere to the rule of law while within her borders. That being said, as there is great concern regarding any spies or Horned God loyalists coming in amongst the refugees, Samantha is going to utilize the procedures that she helped develop when she acted as a Liberator and needed to screen for true criminals amongst the freed thralls when helping them re-establish their lives. She will also turn to her Prodigal population from the time before, asking them to take an active hand in this process, as they themselves can speak from experience as to the veracity of Samantha's word, and she believes they would be extremely scrutinizing in making sure any spies or enemies slip through the process. As before, Samantha will show by example the benefit of joining the Compact, and hope that her actions result in further prosperity.

Grady is used to the quiet spaces. To growing up in the woods, and being away from Arx. Having recently made the journey himself, he'll talk of his own experiences. It's not quite the same journey, mind - he's always been part of the Compact. But it's not so different out in the middle of nowhere. He appreciates the quiet spaces too, and so he'll talk about how expansive the world can be. How there's still room to be free. How the Compact isn't a trap it's a gift of security. He'll mention children too, and building for a bright future together. How the Compact takes care of its own, and in these difficult times that's important. How we fight for each other, and celebrate the joys together, and come together in times of sorrow. We can build together. It's not a bad thing at all, is it?

Marquis-Consort Rymarr Deepwood has sent along notice to Old Oak of the plans of the ruling Marquessa, Samantha. In that notice he calls for volunteers that may be prepared to accept new Prodigals and teach them the way of life in the Compact - ideally pulling from the great many Prodigals already become citizens of Deepwood Hold. Along with that efforts are to be taken to ensure the safety and security of Old Oak, whether from these welcomed Abandoned in the form of a subtly close eye being kept on them or ensuring that they do not bring something altogether unpleasant in with them. Up to and including disease or other less than savory affairs.

Mia will be following Samantha's lead, opening up Riven's borders to allow for the transport of various shav'arvani tribes along the rivers that run north-to-south through the county, ferrying people from dangerous locations to more secure ones. Those who have been thoroughly vetted by all of the procedures laid out may also be permitted to remain at the Twainfort, on condition that all laws of the Compact be adhered to while present.

Moving a large number of people is an undertaking. Moving whole villages into Deepwood territory, in winter, will take food, blankets, foragers, guides, fires, and waystations. Thesarin, and his Riven subjects (Prodigals especially), will be working with Deepwood and Grayson to arrange everything needed to bring the shavs into the refugee camps, and see them protected on their way.

Lord Kaldur will shadow Samantha in her efforts to welcome the shav'arvani who take shelter in Deepwood as the Traitors forces stir. He's reasonably observant, so he'll be on the look out for mannerisms or customs, greetings, physicalities, sayings. He will be of particular use if any cultists are discovered.

Reese would like to help protect the shavs who are wanting to move to safer lands. She would like to try and be a positive force and to gently encourage those in danger to move. She will be highly focused on protecting any shavs as they move.

Dame Esoka's efforts are two-fold. First, she assists with security under the Marquessa's direction, keeping a particular eye (and feel) out for any shavs who might be Abyssal spies. Second, she speaks to those who come about her own experiences as a prodigal among the Deepwoods and Rivens and encourages them to bend the knee, trying to show them they can maintain their pride and tradition within the Compact.

As Voice of Whitehawk, Kenna organizes routes for the shav'arvani who meet the Deepwood requirements through Whitehawk land, as well as places for them to stay within the barony as space and protections exist that deep within the forest. Her greatest effort is directed towards helping arrange passage down the two branches of river that cup surround the Barony to where there are better defenses.

Alaric will be comitting some military resources and support from House Grayson to temporarily bolster garrison postings that have had forces diverted to help in other areas of the effort. Otherwise, he will be putting his diplomatic skills to managing any complaints, disagreements, and other general issues in regards to residents with problems with refugees traversing the Crownlands.

Bethany will bring the Mercier trade network to bear, handling logistics, tracking down suppliers for the needed sundries and negotiating the best possible prices. She won't go herself, but she'll do everything that can be done from the safety of her tea shop to make sure that on the ground, everything runs as smooth as a well oiled... anachronism.

The Baron of Whitehawk will provide his cousin Kenna with the military personnel, food, and resources she may need in assisting the prodigal population to or through Hawkhold. Rangers, healers, boats, caravans - the works. He will delegate the actual orders and organization to her, though, to preserve the plans she has already set in place.

Scouts in the Gray Forest are reporting a significant number of shav who are afraid of the actions being taken in the Forest by a cult figure known only as the Horned God. While most reasonable people in Arx know that this is clearly a figure trying to draw from various scary pieces of folklore, some of the leaders of Grayson are seeing a chance to extend their lands and expand their populations.

Under Marquessa Samantha Deepwood's diplomatic leadership, diplomats from the Compact gather - Countess Mia Riven, Lady Kenna Whitehawk, and Princess Reese Grayson among them. They assemble support - Marquis Rymarr Deepwood, Baron Silas Whitehawk, Lord Grady Deepwood, Dame Esoka Greenblood, Bethany Mercier, Count Thesarin Riven, and Lord Kaldur Seliki - to render aid, tactical leadership, diplomatic outreach, and economic strength to their proposition. King Alaric Grayson even signs off on this attempt, putting his not inconsiderable charm to work.

They offer safe haven for those who want to flee potential "recruitment" by this cult leader. No overt mention is made of the need to bend the knee and yet those responding bend the knee anyway. Without prompting. One tribal leader even comments, 'It's a protection isn't it, to have someone we're oathed to already?' And so it seems. Riven, Whitehawk, and Deepwood lands expand, their populations swell, and for now it seems as though this is a very good thing for everyone.

One wonders what the response in the forest will be to that.

Michael Bisland is going to hire on foreman and construction crews to build up Pridehall's holdings, as well as the vassal houses of Bisland. He will use his leadership and command skills to track down the best architects and planners for the jobs. A great number of Serfs stand unencumbered by steady employment and a public works rebuilding is a good way to get the moving as well as improve the economy of Bisland and its vassals.

Michael is doing most of the leg work on this one. Riding horseback, interviewing folks and all the assorted menial meetings and such to get projects like this moving. Assistance will be rendered by other players via advice most likely.

Samael will use his oratory skills to spread news of their plans to build up the duchy. Some may be concerned with the constant threats plaguing the Isles and the Compact has torn the Bisland's attention from the problems at home. Samael will use journalism and activism to spread and inspire the people. He will give speeches and distribute literature and make contacts with his friends in Pridehall. He is well liked in Pridehall and, even better, he is well respected.

The tugging of fealty's duty has trickled down to the county. Seliki pledges armsmen to Lord Michael's efforts to build and re-build the duchy. Guards for the goods flowing to and fro set out from Pearlspire.

Silas uses his contacts within the Crafters Guild to reach out to experts in the fields of construction and architecture (particularly masons, carpenters, artisans, etc.) to aid Lord Bisland in his goal to Make Pridehall Even Greater. A good amount of stone and timber is sent down south from Hawkhold to assist, as well.

As minister of population Kenna Whitehawk keeps a close eye on the growing number of people in Whitehawk lands. With Michael's offer to build up vassal lands Kenna grabs onto the opportunity to put some of those newcomers to work building up old housing and setting up newer housing for growing families. She passes on the needs of Whitehawk and points out how beneficial it is to make sure that the area is flourishing rather than rat eaten considering their prominent placement at the head of promising trade routes.

Titania is going to ensure the merchants fulfil noble orders first to provide support for the initative.

How can Pridehall and its vassals help a wounded Compact but from a position of bolstered strength? While others look over trade agreements and ledgers, subjects Lumen is well-versed in, she appeals to the sense of patriotism in select merchants and Commoner business owners with personal visits. "At the end of the day, what's good for the Duchy's economic health is what's good for us all." Using the social clout available to her as Softest Whisper, an experienced Diplomat, and the child of a Commoner from the Bisland lands which are now the subject of discussion, Lumen has quite a few different cards in her hand... and she plays them well on her cousin Michael's behalf.

Lumen is careful to leave her role as a daughter of House Bisland implicit. She's a bastard, after all. Anything more would be in poor taste. Of course, if somebody were to infer by themselves that she's acting with the full support of the young future Duke... well, that's a personal choice.

Jev has been asked to pour over the ledgers and offer advisement to Michael in proper distribution and utilization of the serf workforce. He is looking at cutting wasted labor and shifting under and unutilized serfs to areas where they will be more production to help drive production to expected levels closer to the capacity. Lumber, for example, can be bolstered to become a primary trade commodity. Yes it's all very dry. It's all very boring. But Jev's off-the-cuff assessment of things as he fiddles with trying to put puzzle pieces together should - if the dice are kind - make a ton of sense and provide a ton of help.

Barric is going to appeal to the nobles and merchants he knows within Grayson, and without, appealing to them to help get Bisland back up on it's feet. He is going to promote the House as being one of the backbones within Grayson, and the Compact, that the Compact needs Bisland strong and rebuilt. The war is not over and every House needs to be brought back up to strength if we are to have a chance. He will speak of how a strong Bisland is a strong House Grayson as they will be able to call upon the support of the House more fully when required.

It was only a few short days ago that Mia Riven announced she would be opening Riven's warehouses to her sister Houses under the Bisland banners -- and at a discount, no less. Lumber was made available to rebuild lost ships, siege weapons, bows. Leathers and furs were offered for armor. Now she was adding the powdered clay that could be made into bricks to the list and, furthermore, was lending the weight of her words to convince the artisans, architects, and crafters of the Crownlands to add their own skills to the projects begun across the Duchy.

Under Lord Michael Bisland, Pridehall is making some advances and infrastructure changes. Baron Silas reaches out to his contacts in the Crafter's Guild to secure experts in construction. He sends stone and timber south from Hawkwood as well. Lord Kaldur Seliki gets involved, pledging armsmen to patrol the rebuilding efforts and strengthening trade between Pearlspire and Pridehall.

Lady Kenna Whitehawk, follows Lord Michael's example and puts some public works projects in or her own, improving Hawkhold even as they trade and work with Pridehall. Prince Barric Grayson makes the appeal to merchants and nobles within Grayson, to help Bisland rebuild. Countess Mia Riven meanwhile is offering deep discounts from the Riven warehouses to Bisland forces for rebuilding and building.

Meanwhile an accountant named Jev pours over ledgers and makes sure they're paying as little as possible, and that every silver is accounted for. And Lumen Whisper and Lord Samael Bisland work hard too, reminding the people that Lord Michael is focused on Bisland territories, seeking to ensure that their homes are secure and their tax monies are used to make their homes strong and protected. All in all it goes over well, and the Bisland and Whitehawk peoples are working hard.

House Riven is going to war, with the banners their barons have raised to the fighting, to fight for Stormwall with Grayson and Redrain.

Mia is no true combatant -- that's simply a fact, easily and readily known. But despite that, she will be riding out with Riven troops, geared and armored as anyone else is, in a ready display that she will never ask her people to undertake any action that she wouldn't do herself. Her hope is to inspire pride, and confidence, and bravery in them by being at their side, from the Twainfort all the way to Stormwall. Further, she will spend as much of her time as possible organizing their medical supplies and their healers, taking great pains to teach basic battlefield triage and treatment (Medicine 1) to anyone willing to learn. Her hope is to lift their morale and to minimize their casualties.

Esoka will be leading a flank of the Riven cavalry in the march on Stormwall, under Thesarin's overall command of Riven's forces and the larger coordinated effort of the Grayson vassals to the defense of the Crovane lands. She rallies the Riven knights so well as she's able with drills and what intelligence they have at their disposal about the enemy, and will be in thick of the charge when the battle comes. She will also sit in vigil and prayer to Gloria the evening before the fight, and invites those warriors who wish to offer their own blessings to the goddess to join her.

At Stormwall, the Compact's soldiers have worked hard to fortify the city. They evacuated as many as possible, they came up with a coherent first plan that didn't last beyond the first engagement with the enemy (as plans never do), and they responded to the insane strategies of what must clearly be a madman directing the troops. And miraculously, it worked - or it seemed to at first. Gradually though, Compact forces were overwhelmed as wave upon wave showed up to press into the city.

And then, seeing what they faced and the numbers that came at them, they put into motion a brave (and possibly insane) plan of their own - they strategically trapped the enemy in the city, and they burned it down around their ears. It was one of those plans that you only put in motion when all other hope is lost. One that has no reason to work. One that only the truly desperate would use - and those who understand that the value of a place is not in its buildings but in its people.

And it succeeded. The enemy died where they stood. Those who fought that day watched the ships retreat and wondered if they would come back - but they knew that the day was theirs. Those who saw the end of the Battle at Stormwall were left to lick their wounds, patch up who they could, and bury the rest. And there were so many to bury.

And yet the Pirate King did not get a toehold in Stormwall. And Redrain lands remain free. A victory, if at a staggering cost.

Dear Staff,

I don't think much will come of this, but I wanted to record it just in case it does matter. Petal is going to the shrine of Mangata on a daily basis, praying and offering to the sea gifts of the mead she made. I am trying to swing by sometimes to show that. She likes to come at night when the moon is out, but varies the time. Now after felt Mangata she believes in her intensely. Thanks Petal's Player

I believe we did in fact have a scene!

%It was brought to Reese's attention that any Shavs in the Gray forest who have not bent the knee are likely to be recruited to the Horned God's army and to serve as his slaves while fighting against the people of Compact. Reese would like help prevent the Shavs from becoming enslaved as she highly values freedom, but she would also like to help prevent increasing the size and power of the Horned God's army. She also wants to secure the Gray forest as much as she can to make the it more difficult for the Horned God to take action there.

With this in mind she went to her cousin Calarian for help. Calarian and Reese decided to embark upon a mission to help secure he forest and encourage the Shavs to bend the knee. Calarian would be focusing on the diplomatic side of this mission and Reese on the military side (providing the diplomats with protection from any possible threats). Reese fears that treats might come in the form of Shavs who don't like this missions, abyss tainted animals and etc. The goal of the mission is to use words and charm rather than violence as much as possible.

Reese and Calarian would like to bring others with them, especially of the Grayson faction, including vassals and commoners who are interested in such an effort. They would like to bring scouts (who know the forest), social characters (who can help charm the Shavs over) and warriors (who can help defend the party). While on this mission they will be trying to stay alert for anything amiss including, but not to limited to (signs of the Horned God, cultists, blight, abyss tainted animals, any unexpected animals and any signs of monsters).

Reese will not hesitate to kill in defense of their party or herself, however she will offer any mortal and non abyss tainted combatants a chance to surrender. She also has moral problems with killing when not in defense. Which means she probably not kill Shavs who will not bend the knee if they are not attacking the party, not behaving as a threat or not engaging in acts she would consider evil. Reese will most likely follow the commands of Calarian who is voice and above her in rank. She wishes to be inclusive as possible and to invite the Grayson faction to aid in this effort.

Thanks, Reese's player

Since this is getting a little long and unwieldy, I'm going to save this one for reference as we go over the PRPs and applicable crises. Since it's getting hard to track what's resolved in PRPs and what's not, let's break it up into separate ones to make sure things aren't missed and go ahead and throw up a prprequest to make sure staff responses to anything outstanding aren't missed.

Reese is commanding Grayson forces who are going into the Gray Forest. They are traveling to the border between the Grayson and Redrain part of the gray forest. The Redrains are aware of such and Princess Freja asked her do this. She intends to keep her people as much as possible on the Grayson side, but if there an urgent need to defend against the abyss she won't be too shy about crossing over (but won't linger and will let the Redrains know promptly that she went over the border and why). Her intention is to create a barrier, making it hard for the horned god or his minions to travel into the Grayson part of the forest. She believes (having heard a vision) that the horned god plans to march through the redrain forest to the grayson forest and to compact from there. There are few things that Reese is attempting with this. 1. The protective barrier explained above. 2. To try and recruit any Shavs she finds to compact's side and keep them away from the horned god's side. 3. To be a loud distraction, keeping the horned god and his minions (hopefully) focused on her instead of those looking for the weapons. 4. To take down anything abysmal in the area and thereby reduce the power of the abyss. 5. To take down any agents of the horned god in that area and to thereby reduce his power. 6. to Search for clues of where the weapons are, primarily by asking and investigating amount the Shavs in the area. If clues are found for the location on Redrain lands she will give these clues to them and let them decide how to act. If clues are found or weapons on Grayson lands, she will dispatch out a team to look for them.

Reese is taking 200 archers, 200 infantry men and 200 pikemen. The men are primarily under her command, but she is open to people such as Rymarr, Silas and Killian helping her command they are around. She plans to be loud over the top and recruit as much as she can. She hopes to bring diplomats, warriors, healers, scholars and so forth. Reese intends to protect those who come with her as much as possible, especially healers, scholars and diplomates She will not kills Shavs who are not hostile to them or working with the abyss, but will go out of her way to be human, protective and to follow the laws of Gloria and honorable combat.
A few more points. 1. If the Horned God himself shows, Reese will order a tactical retreat, saving as many as she can, rather than engagement.

2. Rymarr is her second in command, he is fully in command if something happens to render her unable to lead.

3. Command assignments go like this: Rymmarr: Second in Command of the mission, command of Deepwood Troops. Command of Any Kings Own Troops (that may or may not come). Killian: Command of any Ashwood troops that come. Second Command for the Grayson Army. Arianna: Stonedeep Troops Commander. Reese: Mission overall Command. Grayson Army Command. Co-command of the Knights of the Solace. Thena: Commander of the Knights of the Solace. Tobias: Commander of the Crimson Blades. Preston (if he comes and he might not): Command of the Templars. Corban: Back up commander if another commander falls or is not present.

3. Fergus asked if some wanted to do missions in the north. Reese will let her people do that or possibly send out on missions on the Grayson side if a need arrises. She will let pretty much any pc who wants go, but she is specially interested in sending some of the more champion like fighters without armies to command on these such as: Vesper, Dameon, Alexis, Kaldur, Graham, Faelan, Luca and Barric.

4. Noncombant attendees or possible attendees include Mia (diplomat), Margot (Diplomat), Rey (Healer) and Aurelian (Investigator). Reese will try to protect them. Esoka is also assigned to protecting the diplomats. Monique and Esoka, despite being fighters are assigned with the diplomats due to the backgrounds and langs.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UggXLCYVY99-ongS-yHsqxxBY20V3PyscroyyjqDMmw/edit

Above is the goggle doc. Thanks Staff!

Reese has a few secret actions to take here.

1. The first one is protecting Thena. Reese believes that Thena is important to the Horned God and that if she dies to his agents his power might be increased. She realizes that Thena is a great warrior, but she still feels it is her responsibility to make sure she is safe. Thena is partly coming as a lure to keep the Horned God's attention away from those seeking the weapons. Reese is concerned about such, but Thena really wanted to do this and she respects that. She just intends to bring her out of this alive, even if it means taking blows for her or doing down herself in battle.

2. If the Horned God makes a personal appearance, she plans to retreat. She is open about this plan. What she is less open about is that she will try to save as many lives as possible among those who attended this mission and will try to guard their retreat even if that means she doesn't make it out herself.

3. The third one is that Reese believes that Thena is a new commander without the leadership skills at this time to be sure the Knights of the Solace will be succesfully commanded. She believes she will develop such in time. She believes this because Thena asked her to command the Knights. Reese intends to help command the knights, to watch out for them and at the same time to try and not upstage Thena with them. She wants to step in as needed without taking the spotlight, if she can manage that.

Barric, armed with Elvesbane and a backup sword just in case honor demands he not use the heirloom in a given situation, will be primarily serving as bodyguard to Reese and any other Grayson of rank that shows up for this affair, up until the point where he sees anything abyssal, at which point he will endeavor to stab evil in the face. Repeatedly.
If Reese needs him to go on a mission (a la 3), he will gladly go.

Margot attends with Reese to work predominently on #2 to try ad recruit and shavs she finds on the compact side and keep them from joining the Horned god, which is something she's getting rather practiced at at this point. She ensures her own escorts (the peace keepers), come with food and supplies to give out to Shavs who have come through the winter but it hasn't warmed enough to replenish their stocks yet.

Lord Corban has pledged his sword and skills to Princess Reese's mission. He will guard what needs guarding, slash what needs slashing, and otherwise do his usual job of Guy with a Sword in these missions.

Tobias and the Crimson Blades have been hired via Reese Grayson to join up with the Princess' wall in the forest. Iron Company (100 heavy infantry) have been contracted, and Tobias himself will be commanding the mission on the Blades' behalf. If this becomes obvious that holding the line is suicide, Tobias will work with other military commanders for an orderly retreat. Otherwise, the elite of mercenaries will hold the line, just like the Night Grove, if need be.
Tobias will be primarily wielding Requiem for this... but if the army comes up against undead, he'll switch to his rubicund blade to see if that helps to cut them down quicker.

Killian will be joining the armies of Grayson as one of Reese's lieutenants, and taking command of whatever troops she designates him to command on the expedition. Of course, he'll also be personally entering whatever battles are joined. He'll bring along whatever troops Ashford sends (new Harlan, so not sure of what this will be) as well.

Kaldur will be going on the mission, as a mounted knight if needed, or on foot as the case may be.

Monique is fighting as needed, but mostly helping to recruit the Abandoned with her extensive Abandoned background and languages.

Thena will personally lead a contingent of Knights of Solace out with Reese's forces, to help the Princess accomplish her listed goals.
As Thena is not particularly experienced in leading troops, the Solace divison will be co-commanded by Thena and Reese, with the help of a trusted (NPC) Solace marshal.
Solace unit consists of 30 knights, 70 footsoldiers, 1 marshal.
As a Godsworn priest of the Pantheon, Thena will offer any religious support as needed such as prayers, blessings and holy water. A few, though not all, of the Solace Knights are Godsworn as well. She will also offer aid as a battlefield medic and herbalist.
Thena will be bringing with her Dame Vesper, newly Godsworn Knight of Solace.

Aurelian signs on to assist in investigating the weapons as best he can, and hesitantly to act as an additional diplomat if needed.

Daemon rides alongside Thena and Princess Reese as a brother in arms to the Knights of Solace bands. He will assist in combat and wherever he will be needed otherwise.

Silas will be lending his sword and the armies of Whitehawk to the cause, bringing with him his archers/rangers while leaving his infantry behind in Hawkhold to defend it in case of a surprise attack (unlikely but who knows). He will command his rangers to scout the area they decide to camp at, in hope of countering any surprise ambushes or enemy movements and to see if they come across anything... strange.

Mia will be assisting with this as well, once I can see the full action and know what to add!
Mia will be bringing 50 of her archers and 100 of her infantrymen on this mission, with them under command of the following PCs in this particular order: Thesarin -> Esoka -> Rymarr -> Silas. Additionally, she will be acting as one of the diplomats attempt to convert as many shav'arvani as possible, making use of both her familiarity with the language, their customs, and her own reputation as the head of a House composed of a significant number of prodigals. Being as Esoka may be called to another mission concurrent with this one, she will be in need of some type of bodyguard, as she's not particularly combat ready.
Added in 30 AP.

The Grayson Princess General has asked Lady Arianna, and by extension, House Stonewood for aid in fighting Legion. Never one to deny her duty to Grayson, Ari has graciously agreed to lend her blade, expertise and knowledge of the dark forces that Legion will no doubt be utilizing. While that might be enough, Arianna has gone above and beyond by bringing along a detachment of Wardens with her to help support any military action that may occur. The men and women under her leadership have excellent Commanders drawn from the recent population of Prodigals and other Abandoned tribes which have filtered into Stonehearth. Above all, Arianna makes sure that she stays close by Reese with ten of her best men willing to die for their charge. This Royal Guard falls under the direct command of Princess Ribbons and is sure to follow her word even when their Liege, Lady Stonewood, is dispatched on any secondary or tertiary assignments such as recon or elimination of enemy commanders.
Arianna is a talented Investigator and has the ability to find leads and hunt them down with a relentlessness that borders obsession. When she is not commanding the Wardens (of which she brings five hundred), she is at work speaking with the local Shav populace and gathering information that might lead to a breakthrough in the hunt for the weapons they seek.


Lady Lailah of House Bisland has sent along 750 infantry and 250 archers under the command of Lady Arianna to help supplement the Gray Wardens. The additional men will be organized into units along with the Wardens, creating a combined fighting force to operate under the direction of Princess Reese. Lady Arianna leads these men by example, and follows Princess Ribbons military directive as she is the more experienced General.

Saedrus will be assisting Reese through diplomatic measures in trying to secure Shav'arvani are loyal to the Compact rather than the Horned God. As a Whisper brings with him his effortless charm, his carefully honed diplomacy and, beyond all else, the kind of empathy that cannot be taught or learnt to get through to the Abandoned tribes. He'll also keep himself well out of the way of all the martial types and generally keep himself away from frays, or anything other than being charming.

Halsim will be providing scouting services for the army (wearing his black robe and mask to keep his identity hidden to the Abandoned), and when necessary, provide his expertise on occult and investigative matters for the weapons search. When not doing any of this, he will provide his alchemical expertise towards equipping the army with medicines, poisons, and useful alchemical cocktails.

Alexis will do what she can, which is primarily serve as a meatshield to stand between enemies and more important targets. She brings her weapon and her armour, and will escort and patrol, and fight, as needed.

100 Infantry, 50 Pike, 25 Cavalry, and 50 Deepwood Rangers. Marquis Rymarr Deepwood's contingent to travel northward into the Gray Forest in preparation to play distraction. Those remaining in Deepwood are given explicit orders from the commander of Old Oak's military leader to be vigilant. A heightened state of security ordered, increased patrol regularity, reserves called into service for the duration, etc. Before setting off, Rymarr will gather his troops; first to speak with them and explain to the whole their objective, their purpose, and hopefully inspire them to fight hard and return home safely. Watch over those in front of and beside themselves, and trust those behind them to watch over them. He will also join his men and women in prayer to the Pantheon's deities. In regard to more Shamanistic means of religious observation, Rymarr will make himself present in support of those under his command, though he will not take direct part in their activities.

The Deepwood forces, under Rymarr's command, will be working in conjunction with a number of military pieces into one overall unit. Acting as Princess Reese Grayson's second-in-command, he's prepared to follow orders or lead, as is necessary dependent on the situation. Additionally, Rymarr is an experienced (and learned) battlefield commander - the first order of business will be locating important terrain features and choosing a strategically strong defensive point to make their presence known and draw attention. Ideally this position will benefit Deepwood's forces, while still permitting them ease of withdrawal, resupply, and all the rest - while preferably robbing any potential aggressors of those same traits and altogether impeding their ability to fight effectively. The former Lord Commander of the King's Own is prepared to play advisor - admittedly quietly to the overall commander of the mission, Reese. He's not afraid to speak up and offer an alternative plan, if he deems it strategically wiser.

Resources which Rymarr will be making use of(13 Economic, 27 Social, and 27 Military) are used to represent the fact that Rymarr will be hiring mercenaries to assist in bolstering both numbers and presence. Their orders are to... follow orders, but when a retreat is called, to retreat.

Having suggested a strategic withdrawal to Princess Reese should the 'Metallic Traitor', 'Horned God', or whatever name will be used for the day, makes an appearance on the battlefield? Should that time come and the Horned God makes his presence known on the battlefield, then Rymarr will work with the other commanders to promote an expeditious but strategically sound withdrawal. A fighting retreat, if necessary.

An additional 100 Deepwood Infantry, 50 Pikes, and 50 Deepwood Rangers will be on hand in the event such a fighting retreat is necessary, in which they will cover those withdrawing and begin a systematic retreat using the two separate forces to withdraw under the cover of arrows and fresh troops to cover the retreating force.
Additionally the King's Own will be there in the form of Dame Felicia and Dame Paloma, each with four Silver Swords/King's Own under their command. So they'll be doing their thing under Rymarr's guidance and ever watchful eye. They're amongst the greatest knights in Arvum, so there's not much that he'll need to command them on. But, he'll keep an eye out to ensure that the don't get in too deep over their heads and to correct any strategic matters he may notice. Despite being their very own past Lord Commander, he'll lead those few knights as though they were any other troops under his command. Given the history, no doubt they could work together to great effect. Their overall command will fall to Dame Felicia and Dame Paloma, per Lord Commander Leona Thrax, but Rymarr will be present to offer any strategic and leadership course correction as necessary.

Felicia is going to gather up her squad and assign them to the direct protection of the various VIPs (Rymarr, Reese, etc.) within the main attackng force. This is ostensibly because the King's Own trains for the defenseo f the King and so is particularly suited for this role but also because the secondary role she intends to take on would be to accept 'special' missions. If specific targets need to be eliminated the King's Own can be tasked with these dangerous but vital missions, including eliminating enemy leadership, etc. She wants to make use of the King's Own high level of esprit de corps and training to make a single squad as valuable as possible without getting them killed unnecessarily.

Luca is doing as usual and joining the fight to add to his monster head collection and keep his beribboned badass of a wife safe. He's becoming a decent scout, but mostly he's just there for the stabbing of things.

Tikva will be posting herself amongst the archers and scouts serving beneath Reese's command. She is especially lending her services as wilderness survival expert and scout to the efforts to comb through the freezing north, hunting down the Abyssal and/or hunting down agents of the Enslaver /as one does/. She will also be along to provide plucky morale assist to those who care to listen to her, and in case Reese needs cousinly advice and/or a hug, because you never know.

High Inquisitor Alistair will be taking a cadre of Confessors and lower ranking Inquisitors into the Gray Forest alongside the Grayson expedition. The High Inquisitor has multiple reasons for joining the expedition and the war effort against the Horned God. 1. To capture living agents of the Horned God to obtain information on their master and other abyssal entities. 2. To better train the Inquisition to deal with abyssal forces, especially in martial conflicts. 3. Provide martial support to the Grayson effort.

With the support of the Faith, and the need to attract the attention of the enemy, Preston and the Templars are going to try and muster a sizable force of 400-600 Templars to march in support of Reese. If they can't manage that, they will at least try to send several lances of mounted knights. If they manage the full deployment, they will act as a second 'battle' of the column, alongside Grayson troops, allowing some mutual support and flexibility, including the ability to pin the enemy with one and smash. If they only manage the knights, they'll act as a mobile reserve and try to pin down any breaches of the shield line. But in all things they will act in support of Reese, a thanks for her and Grayson being a friend of the Faith.
There is a request associated laying out a bit more detail on our motivations - ticket 6028

Joslyn will be sticking close and directly taking and relaying orders given by Lady Arianna, all while armed with Alaricite hairpins and adorned in leather. While her skills are mostly in stabbing and making sure that things stay stabbed, she'll also ensure that all of Arianna's operation runs smoothly. She'll help Arianna with command if it ever comes down to it, but mostly she'll just be doing copious amounts of stabbing.

Paloma will be assisting Rymarr! And leading her four troops to glory and good tactical use.

Lethe is going along as a healer for the group.

Zenix, a native to the lands, will provide insider insights about the various Clans and Abandoned Tribes that occupy the area. Including their numbers, an estimate of how many warriors they have and what chances one might have at flagging them as friend or foe. Besides their guidance through the land, Zen will stay close to Lady Arianna's side protecting her with her entourage of Wardens and Mistress Joslyn.

Olivia is joining the group largely in a supportive role behind the lines, as a healer and apothecary. If it proves useful, she'll use her alchemical and herbal talents to help with treatments for anyone who needs it, and potentially, if any weird abyssal blight, corruption, sickness, or that kind of thing rears its head, to try and combat it via whatever potions or elixirs she might be able to come up with. Failing that, she's got decent medical training and can simply service as a medic, and will aid wounded soldiers.

A scouting force heads out from the Gray Forest base. There have been a lot of these of late - small groups, meant to find shav, to treat with them as possible, to stop any flocking to the Horned God's banner. Tonight, Arianna, Joslyn, Zenix, Olivia, Kaldur, Silas, and Faelan are headed into the Forest. When they return, it is with a single shav and tales of the hideous creatures that were going to eat the woman's dog (and possibly the scouting group too). They are bloody and battered but alive. And hopefully the very grateful woman who is now swearing dutifully to the Compact is willing to give them information on the movement of the Horned God's armies. And the dog? The dog lived.

Meanwhile in the Gray Forest, Marquis Rymarr Deepwood's army has been busy. Today as they returned to the base camp, they told a tale of cultists trying for a sacrifice to the Horned God, one of the First Children about to be sacrificed, and perhaps most importantly, a prisoner escorted back by Lord Killian Ashford and delivered into the hands of the Inquisition.

A party of diplomats and diplomat-likes, consisting of Margot, Alistair, Aurelian, Monique, Saedrus, and Tikva ride out into the deep woods, it'’s said, to speak with a nomadic group of shavs claiming to possess key strategic information. Whatever negotiations happen past the ragged flaps of ragged tents remain private, but the group emerges with a sheaf of parchment and none the worse for wear.

The stories coming out of the Gray Forest tell another tale as well, as a large group of refugees is escorted to Arx by contingents of the Grayson army. They spread word of the valiant heroes who lead their defense, protecting them against the horrors coming from the northlands. Princess Reese Grayson's army, along with the Iron Company lead by Lord Tobias Telmar, apparently encircled the refugees as they were soon to be overwhelmed by the enemies which had pursued them nearly to their destruction. They tell tale of Prince Luca Grayson's 'nearly insane bravery' in fighting three huge monsters at once, to draw their attention away from the injured Grayson troops. Of Prince Barric Grayson's prodigious strength and prowess, as he cut one of the monster's heads clean off. Of the efforts of Lady Lethe Tyde, who set up triage and sought to mend the injured in the thick of battle. They tell of the hundreds of enemy dead left upon the field, and of the heroic troops who fought such overwhelming odds, standing behind their leaders against the coming onslaught and turning it away with their might. Needless to say, the refugees are being redistributed to Grayson lands, having bent the knee to such heroic representatives of the house.