This is for the best. Returning to Little Shedlund minimizes any dramatics and intrigues. Let us push on quickly.
*The hours slip into days as the party moves north, occasionally stopping at a farmhouse to requisition food. The rains slow but continue, creating an oppressive and dour mood.
The second night the party reaches its destination. Little Shedlund is, at its core, a small town of a few thousand surrounding Castle Shedlund. The castle is a squat keep on the northeastern shore of the Low Lake with a high, thin perimeter wall. Sprawling out in all directions around Little Shedlund is miles and miles of farmland. Little Shedlund is quiet at night; the city is dark and feels almost like a ghost town. The few signs of life are corner tavern-inns and the occasional yeoman patrol.
The party marches through the streets, which turn from dirt to cobblestone as they near the castle.
At the gate Wilfred announces himself and the group is granted entrance. The interior courtyard is as lifeless as the city outside. There are castle stables, barracks and a smithy here. A small set of plain stone steps lead to the keep, where a butler greets the party and takes them inside. The dimly-lit interior is sparsely-decorated with heavy ironwood furniture. The party passes down a long central corridor with many branching hallways and into a large, domed reception room. Lines of armed guards stand at attention along the sides of the room and at its center is a massive blackwood chair with a winged back and wide, sloped armrests. Sitting at the chair is a tall, full-figured noblewoman in a simple silk gown. She has harsh, angular features and long hair pulled back into a tight bun. She looks tired, perhaps recently awakened.*
“Her Lordship the Baroness Lady Shedlund Sarah Primrose.” *Announces the butler, offering the seated woman a bow before turning to the party.
Wilfred Delacroix and Mildred Primrose bow and curtsey to the Lady Shedlund.* “M’lady.” They say in near-unison. The rest of the party likely does likewise (though it’s up to their players - specify if your character does not display courtly courtesy).
“My sister.” The Lady Shedlund has a deep, commanding voice. “I am gladdened to see you returned. Where is Sir Howard?”
“There was an unfortunate accident, m’lady.” Mildred glances uncertainly at the party. “These men were sent by Ironhall- he believed me kidnapped. When they learned the truth they endeavored to escort me the rest of the way.”
The Lady Shedlund shows obvious displeasure. “His family will be grieved.” Her voice is emotionless. “Wilfred, I take it your work went smoothly.”
“Unfortunately, m’lady…” As Wilfred speaks, the Lady Shedlund sighs and interrupts.
“Nothing can ever be easy, can it, Wilfred?”
“No, m’lady.”
She appraises the party darkly before addressing her younger sister. “Was Howard’s body recovered?”
“Yes, m’lady.”
“A silver lining. Wilfred.”
“Yes, m’lady?”
“See to the burial. Tell the Calgrins he was killed by bandits. I leave the details to you.” Wilfred bows his affirmation. “And you…” Her gaze falls back onto the party. “… my sister’s rescuers. I’m sure Ironhall will be quite thankful to you when he learns you caught up with her kidnappers.” There is a long silence and the party becomes suddenly aware of the amount of guards that surround them within the chamber. “I don’t recognize you. Are you from Bushwick?”
“These are the Faramonds and their servants, m’lady.” Offers Mildred.
“Faramonds?” Lady Shedlund’s face flashes with amusement. “Is that so? Welcome to Pordeaux.”
Cyrus will speak bluntly to the Baroness. “We may have bought some time by staging Mildred’s death, but eventually Ironhall will learn she is alive, and in Shedlund. War with Ironhall may be inevitable, but the Faramond family and their servants will support you in exchange for some of Ironhall’s land and holdings. I’m sure you’ll find we can be strong allies.”
I don’t quite understand what this means. I’m guessing it’s sarcasm? Does Baldur get this? In any case…
Baldur looks calm. He puts Týr on his shoulder so he can get a look around. After the most recent long pause, he looks at Henry, as if waiting for him to speak.
“Staging Mildred’s death? What are you talking about?” She rises from her seat, bringing everyone to a brief bow again. “War is indeed inevitable. He allowed my sister to fall so easily into the hands of bandits- quite an insult, don’t you think?” She directs her stare to Wilfred, who smirks and bows his head.
“Yes, m’lady.”
The baroness grins. “I thought so.” She looks back at Cyrus. “A broken Provincer family trying to forge an alliance with Shedlund?” She clucks her tongue admonishingly. “And what does Faramond have to offer me that I would deal away the fate of Ironhall? The band before me doesn’t seem particularly impressive.”
She thinks you’re all working for Ironhall (or at least, that you were, given Cyrus’ response) and she was suggesting that you tell him that Mildred was, indeed, kidnapped and that you rescued her and returned her to Shedlund. Sorry for not being clear. It’s all moot now given Cyrus’ play.
Cyrus realizes he’s out of his depth in this intrigue. He turns to Henry.
To Henry: “The lady wants to know what we can offer her. Go on, then.”
Meanwhile, Cyrus will stand near Mildred. If anyone makes a sudden hostile move, or the Baroness gives hostile orders to her soldiers, Cyrus will attempt to take Mildred hostage.
Henry will use the common courtesies in his interactions with the Baroness. Discretion being the better part of valor and all that.
You’d be surprised at what this band is capable of. But that’s neither here nor there right now.
I’d like to discuss things with my group in private before we make any deals. Plus, the hour is getting late. If it’s all right with you, my Lady, for now we would like some private lodgings in which to discuss this as a good faith gesture on your part in return for bringing your sister to you. I know we are strangers to you, so you’ll no doubt want to post guards outside the lodgings which is fine with us.
I also beseech you to not make any moves against Ironhall until we finish our dealings here.
Henry bows.
“So be it.”
The group is taken to a hallway in the northern wing. There are half a dozen bedrooms available here. Guards are indeed posted on either end of the hall.
Baldur goes into one of the bedrooms. He takes out Týr and asks “So brother, what do we have to offer the Shedlunds? Sounds like we better think fast. I wonder if young-brother has any ideas?” Týr looks back at him quizzically.
Cyrus is restless, nervously pacing.
“The Baroness will be very difficult to negotiate with. I wonder if we made the right decision, coming here?”
To Henry and Baldur: “I am unsuited to represent this group, here. Henry, you’ve charmed plenty of women in your life. What’s your take on this woman? We have little to offer, except that she thinks Ironhall trusts us. The way I see it, either you charm the panties off that cold-hearted bitch, or we kill the guards in the hallway, and make a run for it now.”
If any of the party are talking loudly enough for the guards to hear, Henry will emphasize that discretion is extremely important here and our plans should be limited to the party at this point.
Ditto. Though the silver lining in all this is we are now aware of the stakes in this game between these two houses. I don’t think we would have found out as much if we had taken Mildred to Ironhall straight out.
I wouldn’t risk trying to make a run for it. I see no reason why she would prevent us from leaving of our own accord, though, she’ll no doubt make sure we have an escort off her lands. As far as charming her, I doubt it. It’s apparent that she has been looking for any excuse to go to war with Ironhall and she seems to be similar to her sister in personality but with the added difficulty of actually having a sharp mind. We don’t have much to offer, but we have actually managed to get into her lands and have observed her level of guards and the towns. We also know that at least one of her vassal nobles has a thing for little kids apparently. I don’t know how useful any of this is, but it might be worth something to Ironhall to know his enemy’s weaknesses. Of course, there is that little issue of us not returning his wife to him that we’ll have to deal with.
I think we need to get the rest of the party’s opinions, though. I’m particularly interested in what Walter and Naimar think, since they are more knowledgeable in the nobles of these parts.
Henry goes and gets the rest of the party if they aren’t already in the room and fills them in on what he just said above.
:Sohan tries to locate some beer or other alcoholic drinks. And food:
“Guards, may I have some food and drink?”
The party is provided with meager food and drink.
“Well if worst comes to worst we can fight our way out and then head to Ironhall and try to sell the information that we have picked up, but i think that we might be able to come up with some plan for Shedlund that she would agree with, we just have to think.”
I agree. I also think it’s very unlikely she’d let us walk away without a fight, knowing what we know. We must either find a way to be useful to her, or fight our way out and back to Ironhall.
Týr jumps playfully from shoulder to shoulder on Baldur. “What’s that?” “You want to tell me something?” Baldur takes Týr and sticks him very close to his left ear. Týr sniffles curiously, while Baldur looks as if he is focusing intently. “Yes. Yes. Oh, go on. Mhmmm. Mhmmm. Speak up, I can’t quite hear you. Just kidding! No brother, it’s brilliant!” He exclaims excitedly but quietly.
Baldur lifts Týr back onto his shoulder and addresses his gathered party-mates in the bedroom, looking mostly towards Henry and Cyrus. “Well, brother quite rightly points out that Lady Shedlund seems to be under the impression that we are working for Lord Ironhall, although our loyalties to him seem shaky at best due to cousin’s comment earlier. But this can work to our advantage! By appearing to have switched sides, we can offer our services as double-agents so to speak. Oh, I am afraid I am being as clear as mud! What I mean is we can offer to return to Ironhall and spread false information about Lady Shedlund’s true intentions and whatever else she might find beneficial. Of course once we are out of this awful place we can decide what our true intentions really are. Does that make sense to you, young-brother?” He says as he turns to Henry.
It makes sense, and was something I was kicking around in my head, but why would she believe us? Why would she trust us? In her situation I probably wouldn’t.
:If it is nighttime and nothing appears to be happening for the rest of the day, Sohan drinks to excess and passes out:
It would be up to you to convince her. Does anyone have a better plan? I vote for fighting our way out, but I will defer to my cousins.
Are we all in on this conversation?