The old keep upon the hill stands out like a broken bone. It serves as the seat of the Von Rabenfels household. Deep within it's bowls lies the family crypt. Here is the eternal resting place of you and your sons and daughters. Here, where your power is at it's strongest, you have lain dormant for many years. Hundreds of years ago you were given this fiefdom for your service. Your time as the iron patriarch has long passed, but your strong grip and guiding voice still linger to lead your blood to glory. It is once more time to guide your descendants from the afterlife. Choose one strength and two weaknesses of the Von Rabenfels Dynasty:>(Prosperity) How many Reichsgulden you still have in your coffers, as well as other assets you might own. Determines your wealth and stewardship.>(Blood) How numerous and strong your progeny is. Determines how many members of your family are left and of what stock they are.>(Connections) How well connected you are. Determines your prestige and influence among the nobility. Also choose one of the following traits:>(House of warriors) You came to your title through the battleaxe and your children have followed in your footsteps. Your house has a long military tradition. Old swords and armour fill your halls. Every male member has a war story to tell and even the daughters are often taught in fencing or strategy.>(Family of occultists) Many of your descendants have dabbled in the mysterious arts of magick. Though not outright banned in many places of the empire it is frowned upon everywhere, and certainty dangerous.>(Old traditions) Though ancestor worship has become old fashioned your family seems to be a conservative sort. Every night candles are lit and prayers are spoken in your name. Your influence is greater as a result.
>>6468902>(Blood) How numerous and strong your progeny is. Determines how many members of your family are left and of what stock they are.>(Family of occultists) Many of your descendants have dabbled in the mysterious arts of magick. Though not outright banned in many places of the empire it is frowned upon everywhere, and certainty dangerous.
>>6468902>(Prosperity) How many Reichsgulden you still have in your coffers, as well as other assets you might own. Determines your wealth and stewardship.>(Family of occultists) Many of your descendants have dabbled in the mysterious arts of magick. Though not outright banned in many places of the empire it is frowned upon everywhere, and certainty dangerous.
>>6468902>(Connections) How well connected you are. Determines your prestige and influence among the nobility.>(Old traditions) Though ancestor worship has become old fashioned your family seems to be a conservative sort. Every night candles are lit and prayers are spoken in your name. Your influence is greater as a result.
>>6468902Looks like we will probably go with either Blood or connections as a strength and Family of occultists as a trait if we don't get another vote for old traditions. If we don't get a tie breaker or changed votes in the next two hours i will throw a coin.
>>6469132Blood, and Family of occultists it is. I forgot to do it this time but next time i'll try to roll a dice for transperancy. >>6468902Much has happened since last you spoke to your descendants. Our pockets are empty, the old Coppermine at the foot of the Rabenfels has dried up and the taxes from the village have remained stagnant. Our liege lord prefers not to talk to us and the other families shun us.Perhaps our studies have taken a toll on our reputation. You recollect that it was your grandson who first started this tradition. Whether it's the elusive art of alchemy, the dubiously clerical knowledge of secret names of God that is used in charms and curses or the general folklore about the beings that are said to roam the woods and dreams of men. Your family is well versed in this knowledge, for better or for worse. The von rabenfels household faces challenging times, but not all is lost. The blood still flows freely. The children are healthy and the adults grow old in dignity. Even now you feel the beating hearts of your kin in this keep. There are of course the lord of the manor and his Wife. Lord Wilhelm and Lady Frida von Rabenfels. Last you saw Wilhelm he was a young man full of ambition. His father, your great-great grandson, often called upon your help. Now the young gentleman is old and grey, desperate to keep the family together. There is yet another presence you can recognize. Friedrich von Rabenfels, the son of Wilhelms older brother, though why he is here on Rabenfels and not with his father you cannot tell. He was still an infant when he was presented before you, but now his presence is that of a vital man. There are also two new souls here, though you may not know their names you recognize your blood. There is a young man and a still younger woman. You can feel a faint memory of cousin’s nephews and other distant kin, but they are far from the keep.What would you like to do?>Check up on Wilhelm>Check up on Friedrich>Check up on the young man>Check up on the girl>Inspect the keep and other members of the household>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your strength and skips time)>Other...(write in)
>>6469182>Check up on Wilhelm
>>6469182>Inspect the keep and other members of the household
>>6469182>>6469275>>6469183Your presence ascends through the walls of the keep into the study room of Wilhelm. There the old man sits labouring over a pile of documents, with him in the room is his wife, sitting on a stool and embroidering a hankerchief with the Von Rabenfels coat of arm.Feel free to choose what our coat of arms looks like:>A Raven spreading it’s wings>A Raven perched on a skull>Two Ravens Crossing Beaks>A Black cat with red claws and fangs>Other… (Write in)The old man sets his feather aside and turns around to face his wife. With a heavy sigh he says: “Frida I must admit that we are in a dire situation. The Taxes from Rabendorf are stagnating. I had to lay off a few of our servants and we still can’t afford appropriate weddings for Jakob and Martha. And not to speak of Friedrich’s wife, when she comes here we will have yet another mouth to feed. At this rate we will have to cook our own food, mend our own clothes and sell our family heirlooms!”The old lady stands up, walks over to Wilhelm and gently touches his shoulder. “Please don’t worry yourself my dear. We still need to find an appropriate spouse for Jakob anyway. And with Martha” she pauses “I still have some convincing to do. In any case, it was a bad harvest last season, I am sure next year will be better. Maybe you can also convince Jakob to sell some of his books?”Wilhelm shakes his head “That boy is more interested in his books then in the prospect of marriage. That’s the only thing he has in common with his sister. He is always in that laboratory he set up in his chambers. Making his blasted concoctions and doing god knows what.”What would you like to do? (Please note that your influence on the world of the living is fairly weak. You can only do minor things like snuff out candles, warm up or cool down a room, strengthen or weaken emotions and so on. Speaking with the living is very difficult if they are not in the crypt or directly calling upon you in prayer or veneration. Your influence is stronger on those of your blood and especially those you have interacted with before like Wilhelm or Friedrich.)>Do something in the study (Write in)>Try to talk to Wilhelm>Check up on Friedrich>Check up on the young man (Jakob)>Check up on the girl (Martha)>Inspect the keep and other members of the household>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other...(write in)Current Potency: Strong
>>6469324>A Raven perched on a skull>Try to talk to Wilhelm
>>6469324>A Raven perched on a skull>Check up on the young man (Jakob)
>>6469324>Two Ravens Crossing Beaks>Check up on the young man (Jakob)
>>6469324Replying late, not because i am dead or abandoned the quest but because I have an ongoing blood feud with the custodians, possibly just because I accidentally used a VPN. I had to verify my e-mail now. If it happens again and I stop posting know that I have been struck down by lord Tranitor Janitor.>>6469326>>6469373>>6469433You leave the old couple alone in their consolation and instead check up on the young man you assume to be Jakob, your youngest male descendant. You spirit enters the chambers of a young aristocrat possibly in his late teenage years or early twenties. He’s crouched over a book filled with strange symbols. Behind him the banner of your household, depicting a raven perched atop a skull is gathering dust. It hasn’t been touched in a long time. A fuzzy imitation of a mustache marks the young man’s upper lip and he seems deeply concentrated in his work. You never much cared for the hidden arts in your own life. But as an ancestral spirit you have also subsumed much of the knowledge held by your deceased magick-interested descendants. The young man seems to be interested in alchemy and particularly the transformation of metals. You have heard that many alchemists strive to turn metal into gold. So far none have yet managed to do so. You do know though that the alchemical art also has easier and more immediately practical purposes like the creation of dyes, medicine or alcohol. Perhaps you could steer him into this direction, or if you believe in the intelligence of your youngest offspring, spur him on in his mad quest.>Try to turn the pages on the manuscript towards something more practical.>Try to focus on him to deepen his concentration>Check up on Friedrich>Check up on the girl (Martha)>Inspect the keep and other members of the household>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other...(write in)
>>6470201>Try to turn the pages on the manuscript towards something more practical.Revive our family fortunes, while slowly pursuing your ultimate goal. The transformation of metals into gold is the work of generations, worked on incrementally through the ages. He ought create a manuscript that we and his descendants can follow, gradually iterating until something great comes about. We can guide future generations with whatever he discovers. If only he will listen. But first we need money.
>>6470201>Try to turn the pages on the manuscript towards something more practical.
>>6470201>>6470207Excellent suggestion! Creating a magnum opus would certaintly bring the Family some benefit. Perhaps you could discuss it with them when you find a reliable way to communicate.>>6470385The youth narrows his eyes in suprise as the pages of his tome flip by themselves. They land on a rather simple recipe for a pigment dye. The young man rubs his eyes and stands up. He paces back and forth in his chamber. After a while he loudly exclaims: "Eurka! Why not? Did not Eusklepios the elder say 'Redire est discere'? 'To return is to learn' i must go back to the foundations if i want to improve. Transformation is the essence of alchemy and the process of Assation is simplest visualization of transformation."He seems to talk to himself in an odd manner. You are short of frustration until he begins his work. Heating up diffrent mixtures, adding ingredients and all the while muttering to himself. Occasionally he will, before pouring a powder or liquid of some sort into a glass bottle exclaim loudly some sentence in a foreign language. You assume it to be spells. After a you see him put aside a small cup. Filled to the brim with a deep maroon powder. He gives a satisfied nod and then returns to his books.The sun begins to set and you feel that he won't sleep much tonight.>Check up on Friedrich >Check up on the girl (Martha)>Inspect the keep and other members of the household>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your strength and skips time)>Other...(write in)Current Potence: Middeling
>>6470576>Check up on Friedrich
>>6470576>>6470642>>6470765You leave the young man alone in his study as he further improves upon his recipe. It seems like he will dedicate most of his night to the creation of different kinds of dye. Your spirit disappears through the walls of the keep, and you find yourself in the chamber of Friedrich. So much has changed since last you saw him. He could barely walk back then. Emmerich, his father held him up in the family crypt, speaking the old words."Behold noble ancestor! The river of our blood is coursing! I present before you my son Friedrich."He was a good man that Emmerich, strong and confident. Full of life and filial piety. He would frequently give offerings and seek your council. The last time he did this was when he left the keep to join his liege in battle against the Evermen in the east."I beseech you noble ancestor! Many pray to God to save their souls, or they ask his servant in war for his blessing. But I only come to you, spirit of our family. I beg you, protect our house in my absence."You wonder where he is now. If he died, then how come you can't feel his presence? Why was he not buried in the crypt and alongside his forefathers?In any case, Friedrich, the man you see before you now, is the spitting image of his father. Apart from the clean-shaven face, he looks just like Emmerich, with an intense gaze and broad shoulders. However, as Friedrich puts on a nightshirt you suddenly notice that his left arm is missing. His arm simply ends in a stump where his elbow is supposed to be. He struggles through dressing with one arm with quiet determination. As he lays down on the bed you also notice that the toes on his feet are black as ash.>Attempt to speak to Friedrich>Inspect the keep and other members of the household>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other...(write in)Current Potence: Middeling
>>6470830>Attempt to speak to FriedrichWe should at least know what happened and is happening, to prevent his loss to depression, and to know if our advise is needed to prevent an oncoming problem. Invaders suck.
>>6470830>>6470845You do remember the Evermen, or at least tales told about them. They are a quarrelsome people. A heathen and inhuman folk, they shift with the everchanging seasons, in both body and temper. In the summers they raid the lands of the civilized but in winter they become meek and avoid confrontation. In the spring and autumn, they usually trade and appear friendly. The empire has been in contact with them ever since it expanded eastwards. After years of failed attempts to vassalize or pacify them, the emperors have started to wage war on them. Trade with them is forbidden now. Campaigns are started in the autumn to destroy them, so that the frontier in the east may become safe. You attempt to speak with Friedrich.“Friedrich, my scion! Listen to me. Where is your Father? Where is Emmerich? What has happened to you that you are so grievously inquired?”The man’s eyes widen in Horror. He tries to press a pillow to his head to make the voice stop.“Who goes there? Who are you?”He yells into the emptiness of his room.“Father?”He shakes his head in frustration and springs up from his bed. He walks over to the desk at the window and pulls the cloth from a strange object standing on it. It’s a large bronze bowl, decorated with intricate carvings and strange symbols. It’s outside a gleaming bronze, but it’s inside dark as a the night. Friedrich eyes the object with contempt, before looking in the mirror. He looks at the stump on his left arm. With grinding teeth, he stares at his own reflection.>Keep attempting to speak with Friedrich>Check up on the girl (Martha)>Inspect the keep and other members of the household>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other...(write in)Current Potence: Waning
>>6470878>Keep attempting to speak with Friedrich
>>6470878>Keep attempting to speak with FriedrichOne last attempt, then I think we should sleep. Next time we'll have to catch up with the other members of the family.
>>6470878>>6470882>>6470892There has to be some way to get through to him. You spoke to his father so why shouldn’t it be possible to speak with him?“Friedrich. I am your ancestor, the founder of this house, I am the first to carry the name Von Rabenfels. Listen to me, tell me what has happened to you. Where is your father? Did he fall in battle? Then how come he wasn’t buried with me? Have our noble traditions fallen so low since last I saw you?”Current Potence: DepletedThe man just keeps staring at his own image in the mirror. You are unsure if he can hear you through the shroud of the afterlife. You feel your own strength waning. So much time spent in the world of the living, it’s tearing at your spirit. You feel yourself getting heavier, getting pulled down. Down into the crypt, back into the silence of death. The sight of Friedrich covered in the shadows of his room is fading. Return to the eternal resting place of all Von Rabenfels’s where you sleep a dreamless slumber.You are suddenly jolted awake when you feel the presence of a living human in the crypt. Intruders? Enemies?The heavy stone of the grand tomb shifts. In walks a man with a candleholder in hand. The light illuminating his worrysome face, his bloodshot eyes, a heavy stubble adorning his scowl. It’s Friedrich and he looks like he hasn’t slept in days. He walks past the rows of stone sarcophagi, all adorned with the image of a raven perched on a skull. He reaches the very end of the crypt where he stands before a much larger sarcophagus. This special place of honour in the crypt is reserved for you, the founder of the house. This Coffin of Stone is decorated with the finest of carvings, an echo of the old Von Rabenfels splendor. The young man holds his one arm high and shouts.“Ancestors! Noble Ancestors! Do you hear me?”It seems as if this is your cue.
>>6470943Here in the crypt is your place of power. If they come here to call on you, you can directly speak to them and appear in any manner you might like. So how do you wish to usually present yourself before your progeny?>As you were in life. A strong bearded young man holding your Francisca, your trusty axe in hand. This is what you looked like when you were rewarded your fiefdom for your prowess on the battlefield.>As you were in death. An old but venerable man. Stern and unflinching, the many years written into your face. You clutch your cane. This is what you looked like on your deathbed. The iron patriarch of a noble house.>As we all are in the grave. A ghostly floating skull. In this way you don’t just represent yourself, but all dead Von Rabenfels’s. Your appearance carries the weight of generations. This is what we will all look like eventually.>You don’t wish to appear at all.>Other...(write in) How would you like to address Friedrich?>Sternly, reprimand him for not speaking to you sooner.>Angrily, curse him for his impudence.>Calmly, comfort and reassure him.>You don’t want to speak to him at all.>Other… (write in)Current Potence: Middling
>>6470945>As we all are in the grave. A ghostly floating skull. In this way you don’t just represent yourself, but all dead Von Rabenfels’s. Your appearance carries the weight of generations. This is what we will all look like eventually.>Calmly, comfort and reassure him.
>>6470945>>6471099>>6471168A skull rises from the foot of the sarcophagus. It’s empty eye sockets now shimmering with the light of dying stars. You speak with the voices of a dozen men and women. Friedrich takes a step back at this macabre display, but you reassure him.“Fear not my child. I am speaking to you from beyond the grave, for death is not the end of all things. You seek my council and here I am, to support you and to guide you in your times of need, now and always. Tell me, good scion of our house, what has happened to you? How may I help my kin?”The man sets his candleholder down on a nearby grave and rubs his tired eyes. “So you are real, the old man spoke the truth. Thank God and the four, I haven’t gone insane. Was it you who called my name three days ago?”“Yes, I saw you suffering in your chambers and wanted to help you. What happened to you? What happened to your Father?”The man’s face contorts in a pained expression as he looks in the distance.“He’s dead. When I was still young, he went east to fight against the Evermen in the new baronies. I was only told of his passing when I arrived there myself to join him. They said he fell in the battle of Blaubach, a great victory for the empire they called it!”Friedrich laughs bitterly“We are certainly winning over there, if you want to call it that. In the winter we set the torch to their villages and drive them out. Then settlers arrive to cultivate the lands, only to get raided and massacred in the next summer. We are slowly wearing the heathens down, but at what cost?”He adjusts the fur coat he is wearing over his left shoulder.(1/2)
>>6471219Your voices speak to him, the whisper of long-gone grandmothers and grandfathers.“Don’t give into despair young scion. You have served our house to the best of your abilities. But now listen to me well.”>Reassure him and him back to his chambers to rest for now. Then go back to sleep yourself and recover your strength.>Tell him to send down Wilhelm, you want to talk to the oldest member of your family and the lord of the castle.>Tell him to gather Wilhelm and Jakob in the crypt. You want to speak to all of your Male descendants now.>Other… (write in)Current Potence: Waning(2/2)
Whoops i fucked up, sorry.This is the full second post:>>6471219“I tried to find the body of my father of course, but to no avail. They probably sacrificed him in one of their barbaric rituals. Throwing his body in the bog to appease their demonic gods. I filled in his place in the ranks of Duke Schwarzfisch. I inherited this coat from my father. It is made from the fur of an Eastland Wolf. They have giant wolves there, you must know. Some are as big as a horse, and the petty kings of the Evermen ride them into battle. I wanted to avenge him, make those Treefuckers pay! But when I fought at Eiswald one of them smashed my arm with his club. The Medicus said that the entire bone was shattered to pieces. They wanted to fix it but the damage was to great. The wound got infected and eventually they had to cut of my arm at the elbow. My toes too, got taken by frostbite. They said I fought honourably and the duke sent me back. Now I am here on Rabenfels again, and I know not what to do with myself. All I got for my service was this coat, a few Reichskronen and this blasted bowl I have in my chambers. I knew an expert in manners of Magick and he told me that it was a bowl of scrying. If you sacrifice a human and pour the blood in the bowl it can show you any place, anywhere, be it in the present or past.”Friedrich gets down to one knee before you. His head hangs low and he seems as if holding back tears.“But please forgive my whining, noble ancestor. I have failed you, I have failed my family.”Your voices speak to him, the whisper of long-gone grandmothers and grandfathers.“Don’t give into despair young scion. You have served our house to the best of your abilities. But now listen to me well.”>Reassure him and him back to his chambers to rest for now. Then go back to sleep yourself and recover your strength.>Tell him to send down Wilhelm, you want to talk to the oldest member of your family and the lord of the castle.>Tell him to gather Wilhelm and Jakob in the crypt. You want to speak to all of your Male descendants now.>Other… (write in)Current Potence: Waning(2/2)
>>6471222>Tell him to gather all of the family, except the babes, from within the keep in our crypt in a month, a week if one of them urgently has to leave to attend to something. Manifesting like this, particularly outside our crypt is taxing, our potence wanes. We need to recover before we address everyone and hear their issues.
>>6471222>>6471251 +1
>>6471222>>6471251>>6471450“In one month, all male members of our house shall gather here in our crypt. I want all of you to voice your concerns and offer your suggestions. We have much to discuss and I need everyone to attend. Go now, relay my message to our kin, and rest as well, I need you at your full strength.”You don’t tell him that you need to rest yourself, you can’t appear weak when house Von Rabenfels needs you. Friedrich nods along as you speak. He stands up, bows to you and takes his leave. As soon as he’s gone you feel yourself fall back down again. To rest among the bones of your family.
>>6471550Time has no meaning in the world of the dead. You cannot tell how long it is until you become conscious again. But you do feel a presence in the crypt once more.Three men enter the chambers of the dead. Wilhelm, the head of the house leads the way. He walks with a cane decorated with the head of a raven, though he still looks vital enough to not need it yet. Behind him trail Friedrich and Jakob. Friedrich looks much better now, his face is once again cleanly shaven, and he wears the Wolf pelt mantle of his father and a sword at his hip. Behind him walks Jakob. In his hands he holds a big book and a small wooden box atop it. They come to a standstill before the grave of the founder. Wilhelm takes the wooden box from Jakob and opens it. Inside is something you immediately recognize. A knife you once held before in your hands, when you still had flesh, when you still had breath. It’s long, thin blade is of the finest steel, and the handle is carved from the antler of a stag you hunted yourself. Though it’s not as opulent as the keepsakes of other households, it has been passed down from father to son for more then two hundred years. Wilhelm takes the blade in his hands and cuts his ring finger with it. He lays his bleeding hand on your stone sarcophagus, where a furrow has been carved in the stone for the blood to flow down.“I pledge myself, my duty, my honour and my blood to my family. I will work tirelessly to uphold the magnificence of the name ‘Von Rabenfels’. The blood courses in me.”Friedrich takes the blade next. He struggles with it and Jakob tries to help, tries to take the blade from him. But Friedrich snaps at his cousin.“Don’t touch it, I can do it on my own!”He holds the blade in his one hand and flicks his thumb roughly over the edge. The wound it cuts is deep and bleeds well. He gives the blade back to Jakob and puts his hand on Wilhelms. He repeats the words of the old man loudly.Jakob takes the Knife and gingerly cuts the back of his hand, just enough to draw blood. He puts his hand on that of his cousin and his father as he recites the words.You have seen this happen before. It is an old ritual, that the family only uses in dire times. The last time it happened, about a hundred years ago, your family was in a feud with another noble household. They had insulted the Von Rabenfels name, calling them witches and warlocks who sacrifice children to heathen gods. The honour of the family could only be restored through a troublesome feud war.
>>6471551After this ritual, Wilhelm, Friedrich and Jakob begin to speak in unison.“We beseech you, noble ancestor! Hear our calls and show yourselves to us.” A nearby skull begins to rise in the air. Wilhelm’s breath stops for a moment, and Jakob hides his shivering hands behind his back. The old man is the first to step fourth.“Noble ancestor, please forgive our insolence. I haven’t seen you since I was a young man. This here is my son Jakob. And you have already met with Friedrich, my nephew. He told me that he had a strange nightmare. That he heard his name being spoken by a distant voice. He could barely make it out and thought it was just his imagination at first. We… we are sorry for not speaking to you sooner, the old ways are fading, but that’s no excuse for our insolence.”You answer with the voices of generations past.“Worry not, scion of house Rabenfels. I have called upon you all to hold council. I want to know everything that has happened, and everything that worries you.”Wilhelm nods and the meeting commences.Current Potence: StrongThe old blood stirs and a fraction of your power returns. Choose one of the following traits:>(Strengthened Potence) Your Maximum Potence increases. >(Voice of the Keep) You are now able to effortlessly talk to any member of your bloodline as long as they are in the keep.>(Ancestral Poltergeist) You are now better at manipulating the physical world.>(Remains of our forefathers) Normally your influence is restricted to the keep. But if member of your bloodline takes a bone from the crypt with them, you are able to follow them on their travels. >(Place of power) Whatever you do, nothing in the crypt depletes your potence. Additionally, you can read the minds of every human who enters your halls. Thank you all for reading and participating in my quest so far. It’s my first time as a QM so I hope you enjoy it. Please tell me any critique you might have. Writing the meeting will take a long time so I will probably continue tomorrow.
>>6471552>(Place of power) Whatever you do, nothing in the crypt depletes your potence. Additionally, you can read the minds of every human who enters your halls.Makes the most senseWe need to tell our alchemist boy to get to work, these old bones yearn for some money
>>6471552>(Place of power) Whatever you do, nothing in the crypt depletes your potence. Additionally, you can read the minds of every human who enters your halls. This shall do, this way we can wield our full capabilities within this sacred space. Not as expansive as the whole keep, but for important things it is no issue. Being able to provide council throughout the whole keep or with our family as they are on the move would be nice, but we have reinvigorated faith amongst our descendants in the old ways by our presence, and our bloodline runs strong, so we have no need to fear ourselves being forgotten anytime soon.>critiqueNothing so far. Slow start, but it makes sense in context given the premise.
>>6471552>(Place of power) Whatever you do, nothing in the crypt depletes your potence. Additionally, you can read the minds of every human who enters your halls.
>>6471552>>6471594>>6471801>>6471861In the first part of the meeting all kin of Rabenfels come forth to give their recollections. Wilhelm, as the senior member of the house, is first.“Venerable Ancestor! You have seen me before, my name is Wilhelm and I am the oldest living member of our household. When I was a young man, I was married to a woman from the house Nornenring. She was stricken with sickness and never bore me any children. After many years of Marriage, she sadly died of her illness. I married again, my faithful and good wife Frida, who bore me a son and a daughter. Jakob whom you see before you and Martha, whom you haven’t met. In the last few decades, I have administrated our Castle and our Village at the foot of the hill. I expanded our copper mine, which brought us great wealth. But about 5 years ago we stopped finding copper and had to close it. I have brought with me some ledgers so I can tell you more about our circumstances. I can atleast say that the villagers of Rabendorf are contend with our rule. I have managed to stay on good footing with them, and I am good friends with their current representative. Sadly, I must also report that we are unpopular with our fellow nobles. I have tried to invite them to hunts or dances, but they often decline and usually ignore our letters. It seems as if the prestige of our noble house has fallen. I also wanted to invite Kertzig, a relative of ours to this gathering. He is a monk in the Monastery of Graubach, he declined my invitation because he believes the veneration of ancestors to be an outdated superstition. In any case, I wanted to explain to you how dire our situation is, which is why I decided to celebrate the bloodbonding ritual. We hope we can all prove our dedication to our great house.”
>>6471960Friedrich steps up next.“Venerable Ancestor! As you know, my name is Friedrich and I have studied in the ways of warfare. I was taught swordsmanship and riding at a young age. I used to be a great shot with the longbow too.”He pauses for a moment but quickly pulls himself together again. “I learned the science of tactics and strategy; I know logistics and the art of poetry. I tried to win our house glory in the east, and a fiefdom of my own. But I could only bring back… well I already told you about that. I am also happy to report that last week my wife arrived on our keep. She is a Von Kattenburg, and an excellent woman. I am committed to working to the betterment of our house, and I am sure she is just the same.”Jakob is the last to step fourth. The boy seems very unsure of himself and his lips quiver.“W-well, ahm… hail to you o ancestor! My name is Jakob, as you already know, as I have been introduced by my father. Well, my mother knows the scriptures well, my sister knows every song sung in the Reich and claims to speak with the Feenvolk. My father is our bookkeeper and me? Well I consider myself an alchemist by trade. I have studied both the ancient texts of the west as well as the texts of the Shahranians of the south. I have often observed the processes of Transmutation myself.”
>>6471961Wilhelm looks on at his son and shakes his head.“Though I do all of these things I know that my father doesn’t approve. I know and I am sorry, I must.. well perhaps I could-““No, I want you to keep up with your studies in this field. I have already tried to support you in your endeavours. For now, focus on your dye-making, this will be a good way to help fill our family coffers, and afterwards I want you to continue with your alchemical work. I see potential in you and support what you do. You may one day do good for this family.”The youth is stunned at your interruption and takes a half step back. The old man furrows his brow in surprise as well.“Well, uhm. Thank you venerable ancestor.”Jakob gives you a slight but courteous bow and begins to speak again. “Then perhaps you will be satisfied when you hear about my correspondence with what I believe to be a veritable master in the Alchemical arts. Theodosius is his name. He’s written many a Treatise on Cohobation and Vitriolification, as well as on the Philosphy of Transmutation. He was impressed by my innovations in dyecraft and we have since been writing letters back and forth. He lives not that far from here. Apparently, his Father is a successful Draper in Auerstadt, the free Reichsstadt in our Dukedom. Because of this I wanted to invite him to our keep. We could help each other immensely with our studies. And it would be good to hear about what is happening in the big city, we could-“Wilhelm chimes in, putting a hand on the shoulder of his son.“No, no. You should be getting ready for marriage. Perhaps meeting your future wife? Venerable Ancestor, I assure you I have already found an excellent partner for Jakob, a lady of an excellent noble family. This marriage could help fix our reputation and perhaps secure a lasting Alliance with one of our neighbours. I don’t have any confirmation yet, but I will inform you with all the details in due time, venerable ancestor. His dyes are all fine and good, but we should sell them to finance this marriage.”
>>6471963“Father, I assure you, I will concern myself with that after I have met this Theodosius. I will try to conform to your wishes, as long as I get to keep practicing my art. In any case, we have come down here to seek council, haven’t we? So, let’s ask our noble ancestor.”>Allow Jakob to invite this commoner into our home.>Don’t allow it. He should get married as soon as possible.>Other…(write in)Before you can even think of a response Friedrich perks up.“Before we decide that I have another more important matter to discuss. I was talking to my wife recently and she made a good point to me. My father Emmerich was the older brother and was thus head of the household. As his heir that title should fall to me next.”The old man shakes his head“That can’t be, your father abdicated to me when he went out to fight in the east. Besides, you have never been interested in administrating castle Rabenfels, you don’t have any experience with it.”“It can’t be that different from organizing camps or supply lines. Please noble ancestor, tell us your opinion. I am sure you will understand my case.”Your descendants look at you expectedly >Wilhelm should remain as the head of the household. >Friedrich should become the new head of the household. >Emphasize to them that the title of head is largely unimportant. Big decisions should be made together as a family.>Other…(write in)Current Potence: StrongThanks for the replies. I should probably clarify that place of power doesn’t make you omnipotent, it just means you can do everything you could do before without spending potence. The mind reading is also limited to the crypt. I’m sorry if my wording made it sound otherwise.Going forward I believe that holding council should be a main driving element in this quest. These councils should only be held every few years or at most once a year though because: 1: Your family can’t and don’t want to come down here every week they have other things to do. 2: I want you to stay with this family over generations so you can see the long-term effects of your choices, watch characters have children, grow old, die etc. You still get to check up on them in between and be present when something important is happening in the keep. But you won’t be there on a daily basis.
>>6471964>For now focus on financing Jakob's marriage. Later when he has time he may invite this alchemist to collaborate on an alchemical treatise. Over the course of his life, we expect him to produce a magnum opus to pass down to future generations.>Friedrich should become the new head of the household. We last left Wilhelm with the house in good fortune. He said he has had success in the intervening years, with the copper mine, and administrating our villagers. Yet we are awoken to find our treasury destitute, and our reputation in ruins. There have been no new successful taxes, indicating our control of the village has remained modest. Even with the well handled investment in the copper mine, clearly he did not exercise proper fiscal stewardship or restraint. Why has our treasury been depleted in a mere five years? Where are the diversified investment incomes from the success of the copper mines, where are the savings? Our own relatives won't talk to us, nor our peers? We are laying off servants and have to raise funds for Jakob and Martha's weddings? Pathetic. Clearly Wilhelm's youthful ambition has led us here to ruin.Still, at least he managed to avoid a even steeper decline. He can at least advise Friedrich on how to handle basic administration, but Friedrich will have to come up with his own ideas to do anything but tread water. He did well to arrange these marriages with Jakob and Martha, if he speaks true about them saving our reputation. This is his saving grave, and perhaps his one strength given that his own marriage and that of Friedrich's seem healthy for the family and on a personal level.
>>6471964Oh yeah, and make sure to include >>6471985 our reasoning, criticism and praise of his one strength too.
>>6471964>For now focus on financing Jakob's marriage. Later when he has time he may invite this alchemist to collaborate on an alchemical treatise. >Emphasize to them that the title of head is largely unimportant. Big decisions should be made together as a family.
Rolled 1 (1d4)>>6472267>>6471985Locked in focusing on financing Jakobs marriage.Rolling a dice for making Friedrich the head of the household or for Emphasizing that the title of head is largely unimportant. Evens for Friedrich, odds for decisions as a family. In any case, thank you for the intresting write in.Will probably write later today
>>6471964>>6471985>>6472267>>6472337You first turn to Jakob“Jakob you should first focus on selling some of your dyes to finance this marriage. You should atleast meet your potential new spouse first. After this you may invite this Alchemist to come visit us. Think of your duties first, as a scion of house von Rabenfels you have obligations”Jakob nods but you can clearly sense both his hope and frustration.“Concerining the head of the household. I am disappointment in you Wilhelm. I left the house in your hands, yet you haven’t done much to improve our station. Investing in the copper mine was a good idea but you were foolish in not taking any precautions. Did you think that the ore would last forever? You did not plan for any alternatives, no further investments or saving up for the future. And now you can’t even get our own family members to visit us? Pathetic. I ought to make Friedrich the head of the household! But alas you have done some good for the family as well, planning these marriages and keeping the villagers happy. There is potential within Friedrich, so going forward I want you both to rule in equal measure. Wilhelm you will advise your nephew and teach him basic administration, and Friedrich you will ensure nothing remains stagnant. One day your uncle will be unfit to rule, and you will have to step up to fix his past mistakes. Until that day I want you two to work together, I will hear no more complains about this, and you will fight amongst yourselves no more. We need to stand together as a family if we want our family to thrive.”Wilhelm opens his mouth as if he wants to say something. But he quickly closes it and nods. You can hear him thinking about the past, wondering if he truly performed so badly, and what he could have done differently.
>>6472355Friedrich rubs his chin with a modicum of Satisfaction.“I suppose that if this is everything we ought to finish for now. It is good for us to stay in contact with our ancestors, and we have surely accomplished much in this meeting. I suggest that we are to repeat this council once every year, if time permits us.”“One more thing before we leave. Noble ancestor, I want to go over the books with you to give you a better picture of our Situation.”He grabs the heavy ledger from Jakob and starts listing off various numbers and titles. For the sake of our readers, I am condensing the information as much as i can.The current year is 31 in the Reign of Calderius. Ages of Members of the Family:Wilhelm: 54Frida: 41Friedrich: 28Jakob: 20Martha: 17Current Reichsgulden: 221Yearly expenses: -25Yearly Income:(Taxes): +22Your Liege lord is Hermann von AdlersfeldFellow Vassals in the Von Adlersfeld Dukedom:House Von EberswaldHouse Von BocksfeldHouse Von KattenburgThe Graubach Monastery Auerstadt the free ReichsstadtCurrent Reputation among your Noble peers: Unremarkable.After this long-winded rundown on all matters of the business of our family, your kin depart. Leaving you alone yet again among the corpses that the Castle Rabenfels was built upon.Is there anything you would like to do?>Check up on Martha>Check up on Friedrich’s wife>Inspect the keep and other members of the household>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other...(write in)
>>6472356>Check up on MarthaI do want to check up on Frida. She has been good to bear Wilhelm fine children, but I wonder whether she has been help or hindrance in her counsel to Wilhelm. Last we left him he was full of ambition and reportedly his investments went well, so I wonder why he suddenly stopped doing well. Was it Frida's influence? Or did she prevent him from bringing our house into further decline than would have otherwise happened?Still, those of the blood come first. Lets see what Martha is up to, while we still have strength.
>>6472356>Check up on Martha
>>6472356>>6472360>>6472431You transcend upwards into the Keep. You find yourself in a quite cozy room. Here Frida sits together with a young girl you assume to be Martha. She is quite beautiful, the signature black hair of the Rabenfels family contrasts with her pale skin and bright brown eyes. Both women are working together on a large tapestry depicting a hunting scene. Frida fills it in while Martha works on the floral decorations at it’s edges. The younger woman sighs. “Oh mother, don’t you wonder what they are doing in that old tomb?”“Your father would often talk about the spirits of ancestors back then, but frankly I have never given it much thought. It’s probably not our place to concern ourselves with that my dear.”“What really is an ancestor spirit? Maybe they are like the spirits of the wood? Or perhaps it is really the soul of an old dwarf that used to live in this mountain?”“Don’t talk so much about these things Martha, it’s impolite and it will only reward you with weird looks from proper lords and ladies.”“Oh, says you! And they way you study the scripture is not ‘weird’? You rarely go to church and instead pray by yourself, and always in strange tounges.”Frida puts a finger to her lips, she seems desperate to change the subject.“Shushh now. Say why didn’t you invite Louisa to join us?”“I did! But she always keeps to herself. She’s been here for a week but she’s always writing letters or sulking about.”“Hmm how queer. I suppose she is just homesick the poor thing. Give her some time.”The two women continue to work in silence.Current Potence: Strong>Attempt to speak to them.>Check up on Friedrich’s wife>Inspect the keep and other members of the household>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other...(write in)
>>6472445Interesting, so Frida is a rather unorthodox herself. No wonder Wilhelm found her an acceptable match. Hopefully she is merely praying to her own ancestor spirit, and not something darker. I don't want to imagine Wilhelm screwing that up as well. Wonder if Frida is merely embarrassed or secretive by good habit to avoid the church's notice. Or is she desperate to avoid being overheard by us?Now who's this Louisa?>Inspect the keep and other members of the householdAs Martha does not need guidance as of now, nor does she hold much power within the family, we can skip talking to her until we regain the ability to speak within the keep easily. Save the potence.
>>6472445>>6472449You drift through the rooms of castle Rabenfels. It was your son who started building this Keep, and it’s age is apparent. Much of the furniture is visibly used, and in some rooms you can find cobwebs in the corners and dust on the shelves. In the kitchen you find a corpulent man showing a child how he dices an union. Likely the cook and his son. Outside you can see some men wielding spears walk up and down the walls, looking boredly into the distance or eying the town below the mountain. In one room an old man wearing the garments of a valet polishes a suit of armour. In another room two house maidens, a younger and an older one are deeply involved in a heated chatter.“I’m just telling you Lotta, the lord is not the man he used to be anymore. He left more then just his arm in the east.”Says the older Woman, barely attempting to wipe off the dust from the top of a chest.“How can you say something so cruel? He’s strong and he’s brave and gallant and he fought with honour! He must feel so terrible now, just imagine if that had happened to you! How would you feel then?”Current Potence: Middling >Make a loud noise or throw something from the shelves, they should be working not talking. >Keep listening>Attempt to speak to them >Check up on Friedrich’s wife>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other...(write in)It's good to see someone so intrested in the quest, thank you.
>>6472456>Look for LouisaDoes she question his manhood or does she just think he has been depressed since his return from the east? Regardless, this is just idle pratter, unless they have some more substantial rumours. We can mention the older maid's lazy ways and rumourmongering at the yearly meeting, if there's nothing more important to discuss. Not even worth the mention most likely, just maids being maids.Anyway, I just wanna check if this Louisa is someone of importance. A friend of Martha or Frida? Good to know if she is an important servant, like a lady's maid or another noble family's 5th daughter pawned off on us to feed under the guise of a gift. Maybe a spy? It was mentioned she writes a lot of letters.>interestNo problem QM. It's a simple premise, but it is interesting to be forced to act through others. Through influence, instead of just dominating the narrative ourselves with high rolls and so forth.
>>6472456>Look for Louisa
>>6472456>>6472501>>6472557You leave the maids to their squabbles. You try to find this ‘Louisa’ as you float through the Walls of the keep. Looking for another Noblewoman you don’t yet recognize. Indeed you do find such a Lady, in the chambers of Friedrich that is. Friedrich has his arm slung around her in deep embrace, his eyes closed in bliss. Yet her eyes are open. She stares out of the window, her cold blue eyes scanning the horizon. As a raven lands on a tower on the opposite side of the keep, she averts her gaze and breaks the embrace. “Let’s go to sleep now, dear. It has been a long day for both of us.” You can fully see her now, her long blonde hair bound in tight and conservative style. Her lips are a deep red and she has a small mole just below her eye that only accentuates her immaculate beauty. Friedrich brushes her chin.“Louisa, have I ever told you that you become more beautiful with each passing day?”She laughs.“Thank you my dear. You look quite dashing yourself today.”The two begin to change into more comfortable sleeping garments.Current Potence: Middling>Try to talk to Friedrich>Check up on Martha>Check up on Frida>Wander around the keep at night>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other...(write in)
>>6472597Ah, Friedrich's wife, I see. Just from the body language, I feel he is more taken with her than she is by him. Or otherwise her thoughts lie elsewhere, with her family perhaps. Still, it is good that we seem to have an alliance with Von Kattenburg.The mention of letters, Louisa's looks outside, the raven arriving, all of it makes me a bit paranoid. I can't help but suspect spying or other supernatural forces, but it is probably nothing.>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)I'm tempted to wander around at night in hopes of catching some midnight chatter, or someone doing something inappropriate, but there isn't enough evidence of that to be worth the time. Plus, with our potence, we probably couldn't immediately follow up upon discovery anyway.Lets sleep and see what the year brings.
>>6472597>>6472821Before your potence can fady any more you descend back down to your hall of bones. Time again to sleep a dreamless sleep.The current year is 32 in the Reign of Calderius. Dust flies up as the heavy stone door to the crypt is opened. Your descendants once again stroll in, candles in their hand. As they are still breathing, they need light as their guidance in the land of the dead. They call upon you, saying that they wish for your council. You appear to them as before, looking down at them through the darkness. Wilhelm and Friedrich seem used to your appearance, but Jakob seems still seems scared. You can feel that in his mind he fears your judgement.Friedrich steps fourth.“Noble Ancestor! We have come to make report and hear your advice. With the help from my uncle, we have sold the dyes my cousin has made in his chambers. We also have some news concerning the elopements of both of my cousins. Wilhelm if you please.”The old man steps next to his nephew and addresses you.“I wanted to tell you more about the potential spouses. For Jakob I have managed to talk to the head of house von Bocksfeld.”Friedrich clenches his teeth at the mention of this name, though none in the room can see it. Reading his mind you can feel a deep personal grudge against the von bocksfeld family. Wilhelm continues.“They are a very prestigious family, they own two castles and some good farming land. It is said that in the past some women of the Von Bocksfelds have danced with emperors. I also have some good candidates for Martha, one is the current heir of Lord Eberswald, the other is Lord Heilsbrun, a lord in a neighboring dukedom.”“Noble ancestor! There is also a third option that my uncle doesn’t want to consider. We could always marry Martha to a rich merchant. In these days there are many Burghers who have more coin in their pocket then our liege has in his entire treasury. And these moneygrubbers are always on the lookout for blue blood to spice up their inglorious family trees.”Friedrich interrupts Wilhelm. Much to the chagrin of the elder.“Friedrich! Do you want to insult our family honour?”“No one cares more for our family honour then I do uncle, trust me. But if you had been in the east, you too would have learned that honour doesn’t win battles. And it won’t fill up our coffers either. Certaintly we have not come here to fight.”
>>6473011“Certaintly not Friedrich, on that we agree. In any case, we should decide on who we should contact for a meeting. It’s a customary part of courtship for the bride and groom to meet atleast once before the engagement. As this isn’t even an elopement yet we may choose multiple options, but if Martha meets with too many candidates it may attract attention and give the other options a reason to scorn us.”“I am on good terms with the Von Eberswald family. If we don’t consider them I am sure I could still patch up things between us. So I would suggest either meeting with the Von Heilsbruns or a merchant family or both.”Wilhelm doesn’t even listen to his nephew speak. Instead he looks to you for an answer.>Contact the House Von Eberswald>Contact the House Von Heilsbrun>Contact a rich Merchant Family>Other…(write in)“There is also another matter, my ancestor.”Friedrich speaks again.“As part of my reward for my service I received an ornate bronze bowl, looted after one of our victories. I have found out that the air of magick clings to it. A foul object of scrying. It allows one to see into the present or past, and to view any place, anywhere. But only if you sacrifice a human life to it. It’s still in my chambers and I haven’t decided what to do with it yet. I could send it to the church to be destroyed, which could improve our reputation as good faithfull. I could also sell it to a merchant of exotic and occult wares in Auerstadt I know.”As you peer into his mind you see the true reason for why he hasn’t done anything with it yet. He knows he could use it, he could kill a person to gain a magical glimpse into the past. Then perhaps he could find the corpse of his father, and potentially bring it back to be buried in proper. His own mind shudders at the possibility, but the thought remains.>Send it to a church representative>Sell it to an antiquarian >Hold onto it for now>Other…(write in)Please also roll me 2d6 (+4 because of help from Wilhelm) to see for how much you sold the dyes.
Rolled 2, 2 + 4 = 8 (2d6 + 4)>>6473012Let me roll how much the dyes sold for before deciding...
>>6473021Mediocre. Still, Wilhelm did good to double our profit. Clearly he has some mercantile skill.>>6473012>Contact a rich Merchant FamilyWe need the money. Until our our income has reliably increased, we cannot pass up much needed injections into our treasury. Had the dyes sold for more I would go with Heilsbrun, just because with Jakob's upcoming marriage to Von Bocksfeld we have a lot of alliances with noble houses in our dukedom. It would be good to get some influence farther afield. A sad day for the prestige of our noble name, but our name has already sunken to depths unimaginable in our day, so no need to fuss now.>Hold onto it for now>Encourage his hidden thoughts, no member of our family should remain uninterred in the crypt, nor our strengths rejected.He has a good thought. We're noble killers by occupation, and occultists besides. The church will never think better of us for doing what we are obligated to do anyway, and we already have a low reputation for our knowledge of the occult. We aren't fixing that part of our reputation anytime soon, nor should we shun our strengths. Plus a bronze bauble no matter how ornate will not match the wealth of a successful marriage to a merchant, or the creation of a successful enterprise. Lets not fret over the sale of individual trinkets.
You know, I had the thought that if Friedrich can't find an enemy to sacrifice to the bronze bowl, we can mention to him as a veiled aside that the older maid had been questioning his manhood as early as last year at least. A last resort, of course.
>>6473012>Contact the House Von Heilsbrun>Contact a rich Merchant Family>Send it to a church representative
>>6473026>>6473071I quite liked the write in on letting Friedrich keep the Bowl, and we can always sell or destroy it later. So i'm tempted to just go with that for now.If there are no more votes in the next 3 hours i will go with:>Hold onto it for now>Encourage his hidden thoughts, no member of our family should remain uninterred in the crypt, nor our strengths rejected.and>Contact the House Von Heilsbrun>Contact a rich Merchant Familyto get a mix of both votes.
>>6473012>>6473026>>6473071“Send Notice to the House Von Heilsbrun, we should look for allies outside of our Dukedom. Friedrich I have thought about your words and they are wise. It pains us all, but we currently cannot pass up a chance to fill up our treasury. I want you to find a good and wealthy family to take our Martha in, one that we can do good business with. Two candidates for the hand of Martha should be enough for now.”Wilhelm Grimmaces, but he doesn’t voice his concerns.“As for that trinket of yours. You have won it through your valor, scion of our house. Thus, it should remain with you. We have a certaint reputation that’s not entirely a hindrance. We should never be afraid of our strengths. You know what best to do with this bowl, young Friedrich.”There is a long silence after you speak. The three men bow, Friedrich bowing the lowest. The old man speaks again.“We will soon get a visit from Lara Von Bocksfeld, Jakobs future spouse. She is supposed to arrive here in a few days. Later this year we will also receive a visit from that commoner that Jakob keeps writing letters to. Let’s hope he at least has some table manners. We will probably send Martha off on her own visits next year. Until then we thank you for your advice and your support noble ancestor.”The three men bow again and take their leave. You in turn drift off into a blissfull nonexistence.Current Reichsgulden: 221Yearly expenses: -25Yearly Income:(Taxes): +22Sold Jakob’s Dyes: +8New Reichsgulden: 226You awake, and even from the still coldness of the crypt you can feel the commotion in the keep above you. You assume that today must be the day the young lady von Bocksfeld is to arrive. >Check up on Jakob and Wilhelm>Check up on Martha and Friedrich>Check up on Frida>Check up on Louisa>Check up on the House staff>Other… (write in)Current Potence: Strong
>>6473074That's fair.>>6473148>Check up on Jakob and WilhelmThe obvious choice, given what is at stake with this marriage. After that, I'm of mind to check up on the staff if nothing more important comes up, to make sure everything is in order.
>>6473148>Check up on Jakob and Wilhelm
>>6473148>>6473240>>6473297You travel through the stone halls of Rabenfels Castle. You quickly find Jakob and Wilhelm in Jakob’s chambers. Wilhelm is inspecting the garments of his son, and seems to be giving him a pep talk.“You look fine Jakob, you look fine. I am certain that you won’t disappoint me.”“I’m not sure father. I don’t know much about the Bocksfelds. What am I even supposed to talk about with her?”“What all young people talk about: hopes, dreams, plans for the future mostly. Talk about your ambitions, woman like that. Women like a man who’s confident, who wants to achieve something in this world.”“All my Ambitions are about my Alchemical work.”“Hmm on second thought you might have to test the waters on that. I have accepted your peculiar interests by now, but other people might not be as openminded as I am. In any case she will probably bring up gossip or some courtly drama. All young women are interested in such things, and a von Bocksfeld especially.”“I hate it when people chatter and gossip behind eachothers back.”“I can understand that. But you will still pretend to be interested in what she has to say. I expect good relations with the Von Bocksfeld after this marriage, and I expect many grandchildren.”“And does she or I have a say in this matter?”Wilhelm gets a little irate at this interjection.“Stupid boy. Have you ever heard a peasant in the field complaining about working the land? No, of course not! It’s their lot in life and there is nothing that can change that. Your lot is to marry a pretty young noblewoman, what are you even complaining about? The von bocksfeld women are said to be exceptionally beautiful, so you can certainly count yourself lucky.”“But what if we don’t love eachother?”“Love? Have you listened to Martha sing her stupid songs again? What do you know of love? Do you think that love means princes reviving ladies with a kiss? Knights riding into battle and defeating dragons to prove their love for a queen? No, love is about building a future together. Do you think me and your mother ‘loved’ each other the first time we met? No, of course not. We love each other because we worked for it. Love is accepting the other person as they are. Balancing strength and weakness and investing in a common future. You can love eachother if you both want it. Oh if only you could know what me and Frida where like when we first met. Did I ever tell you about that time…”This is the first time you have ever seen Wilhelm smile. He seems to be lost in his memories until he Jakob snaps him out of it.“Yes Father I understand. I will not disappoint you.”His face is that of resignation but not of confidence. >Attempt to speak with them>Check up on Martha and Friedrich>Check up on Frida>Check up on Louisa>Check up on the House staff>Other… (write in)
>>6473368>Attempt to speak with themHonestly Wilhelm's relationship advice isn't terrible. Still, perhaps we can give Jakob a pep talk. Or give him permission to talk about his alchemy, something he is confident in. The rumours already exist, and she'll find out soon enough if she marries him anyway. Then she'll be telling everyone she knows in her letters home and to her peers, particularly if it comes as a surprise. Something ought be done at least, since this marriage is central.
>>6473368>Attempt to speak with them
>>6473368>>6473378>>6473580You attempt to speak to Friedrich, to encourage and motivate him.“Friedrich you are a noble child of our house. Stand proud to carry the name Von Rabenfels. Your Interests are nothing to be ashamed of. I have said it before and I will say it again. I support you.”You are not sure how much of that has gotten through to him. But he seems have heard you. His visage just a little brighter, his back just a little bit straighter.“Thank you Father, I…”Friedrich is interrupted by a Knock at the Door. Father and son look over and see an old man in the doorframe. It’s the valet you have seen before. He is even older than Wilhelm, but his clothing is immaculate possessing not a single crease or stain. He strains to bow deeply and respectfully.“Lord Rabenfels and young master Friedrich. Please excuse my sudden interruption. The guards have reported a carriage making it’s way up the mountain. I assume it’s our esteemed guest for today, they will arrive in a few minutes. I have already taken the liberty to gather the staff in our courtyard.”Wilhelm puts a hand on the shoulder of his son before following the old servant downstairs into the courtyard.“Thank you Johann, come on Friedrich let’s meet your future Wife.”
>>6473650The Staff is all arranged in a neat line in the Courtyard, they have probably been standing here for some time already. There is the rotund cook, the younger and older maid and Johann, the old servant. There is also a man with impressive sideburns wearing a steel breastplate and helmet, shouting orders at the guards. Frida is already standing here, silently mouthing a prayer. Friedrich and Martha arrive after Wilhelm and Jakob. Louisa is the last one, joining Friedrich at his side. A carriage soon strolls in to the courtyard. It’s four corners are adorned with goat heads made from brass. The door swings open and out steps a man in brightly coloured Garments. He holds the door open and Shouts:“ANNOUNCING HER ESTEEMED LADYSHIP LISWETA VON BOCKSFELD”Seconds later he helps a young lady out of the carriage. She is a fair lady but perhaps not as fair as you’d have expected. She has simple brown eyes that are transfixed by the wet stone floor of the courtyard. Her dress is frilly and of a deep blue. She carries herself in a noble gait, and her face carries no discernible emotion. Wilhelm walks over with Frida at his side, Friedrich trailing behind them. The old man bows elegantly before the young lady.“I am Wilhelm Von Rabenfels, the Oldest Member of the Von Rabenfels bloodline. This is my wife Frida, as well as my son Jakob.”Jakob manages not to make a fool of himself. He bows gracefully and speaks with a clear voice.“It’s a pleasure to meet you Lady Lisweta.”The old man gestures to Friedrich. “Ruling alongside me is my nephew Friedrich and his wife Louisa. Please, lady Von Bocksfeld join us for a midday meal, everything has been arranged and I am sure you are famished after your long journey.”“Thank you, Lord Rabenfels. I am exhausted from my travel, so please show me the lodgings arranged for me first.”Says the Lisweta, barely acknowledging the old man. “Of course.” Says Wilhelm and turns to the younger of the two maids. “Lotta! Please escort lady Von Bocksfeld to her room.”Both the maid and the servants of lady Von Bocksfeld begin their work. Behind the carriage are also a few riders wearing armour of polished steel. They look down at the captain of the von Rabenfels guard, whose armour is blackened to protect against the rust, and begin to unsaddle.The gathered Staff and members of your family begin to trail back into the halls of the keep. Current Potence: Fairly Strong >Follow this lady von Bocksfeld>Check up on Wilhelm and Friedrich>Check up on Martha, Frida and Louisa>Check up on Jakob>Check up on the staff
>>6473651>Follow this lady von BocksfeldAh, beauty is always exaggerated and idealized the moment it leaves the presence of the person in question. Lets take the measure of this lady. I'm sure all the others are discussing heatedly, but we should know what to make of Jakob's wife to-be if we are to guide him.
>>6473651>>6473774You follow the Lady into the Manor. She is lead by the Housemaid named Lotta and trailed by two servants who carry her luggage. After arriving in her modest, but spacious and comfortable accommodation she sighs.“Is this really the best they can offer to a guest? And what about you, are you and that old hag really the only maids in this dump?”She addresses Lotta, who perks up at this, you give the maid a better look now. She is missing a tooth and looks rather plain, the only thing truly standing out her being her chest. She gives the noble lady a confused look.“I’m sorry my lady, er, yes we are the only two maids. But the workload is light, the castle is not that big and we-““Stop talking. I didn’t come up here to hear you chatter. You will help me get dressed for the meal, atleast I could bring some of my pretty dresses here.” Lisweta sighs and goes over to her luggage to pick out her garments for the occasion. >Make her trip to humble her>Attempt to speak to her>Check up on Wilhelm and Friedrich>Check up on Martha, Frida and Louisa>Check up on Jakob>Check up on the staff
>>6473805>Attempt to speak to herListen here lady, if you're going to be part of the family you better learn to respect and support it. The land was won in blood and glory by yours truly, and the occultism that taints our reputation is the very thing that will be funding any pretty new dresses you hope to buy. And before you mouth off again, let me humble you by reminding what it says about your own family and what they think of you that they pawn you off on our 'ignoble' bloodline and our 'dump'.I think we're a bit above petty shenanigans like tripping people, spooky or not. Though it is a funny image that an ancient ghost resorts to such things out of spite, or for his own amusement.
>>6473805>Attempt to speak to her
>>6473805>>6473839>>6473886You attempt to speak to her“What are you calling a dump? More blood has been shed to secure these stones then you have cried tears in your life you spoiled Bocksfeld brat.”The young lady turns around, her face whiter then before. She looks around, trying to find the source of the noise and her gaze lands on the maid.“Didn’t I tell you to be quiet? Now help me dress before I tell your lord of your impudence.”She tries to play up her anger but you can hear the fear in her voice. The young maid quickly moves to help her remove her corset.“A-ahm sorry ma lady, I didn’t mean to be impandant.”You leave the two alone to allow her some privacy. Not out of a desire to be gallant, afterall they seem to not notice your presence, but more so out of sheer habit. You instead float down to the dining room where the rest of your family are already seated and awaiting the first course to be served. Friedrich and Wilhelm seem to be in an animated discussion at the head of the table despite their lowered voices. Martha has her arms clung around herself and Jakob and Frida are talking about news in the empire. Seemingly a matter of theology. A current new movement in the faith that rejects the worship of ancestors and the veneration of the four in order to focus on God. Both voicing their distaste for this movement. Though Frida says that everyone needs to find their own way to god. Louisa simply stares into the air, not paying much attention to everything else. You can feel Lisweta slowly coming closer, seemingly dressed by now. But perhaps you would like to do something before she arrives.Current Potence: Middeling>Stoke the flames in the fireplace to make the room a bit more comfortable>Check up on the staff in the kitchen.>Listen in on Wilhelm and Friedrichs conversation>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other…(write in)>>6473839You might be a the ghost of a long gone warlord, having absorbed the memories and dreams of all who have preceded you. But that doesn't stop you from being petty if you want to lol.
>>6474020>Listen in on Jakob and Frida's conversation. This pertains to us, given our ghostly nature, and our family's occult ways.I'd like to think we're a bit above acting like a servant for our family, someone else can stoke the flames. Besides, the chill might do the Bocksfeld brat some good. A suitable atmosphere for a specter to haunt.
>>6474020>Listen in on Wilhelm and Friedrichs conversation
>>6474020>>6474126>>6474149You focus on the hushed conversation between Wilhelm and Friedrich.“Just think uncle! Where would you send a misbehaving noblelady?”“Well usually you would send her to a cloister, wouldn’t you?”“Yes but oh, of course a Von Bocksfeld is to good to for a cloister. Send her to a fellow vassal instead, show how magnanimous and loyal you are that you want to strengthen your ties with a lowly Von Rabenfels. And then at the last moment you break of the elopement on some nonsensical excuse. Punish an unruly child, make your rival look bad and endear yourself to all other lords. Three with one strike!”“The only one who thinks of them as our rival is you Friedrich, you are still sour because we didn’t agree to let you duel the elder son of the duke back then. You would have probably lost anyway.”Friedrich breathes in deeply wanting to object but he is interrupted by the appearance of Lady Lisweta. She is dressed in a deep blue dress, something almost fit more for a ball then a meal.“Please join us Lady Von Bocksfeld, the soup will be served shortly.”
>>6474218She takes her seat on the empty chair next to Jakob and a few moments later Johann the old valet brings in trays of soup on a small trolley. The old man takes quite a while to serve everyone, and lady Lisweta does little to hide her displeasure. Frida is the first to address the guest. “Might I ask how the court of your father is faring young lady Bocksfeld?”“Oh, it’s been the same for quite some time now. I do enjoy the dances he celebrates but he’s also always inviting these clergymen from the cities. They hold long speeches about the necessity of true piety and the trappings of the church and so on. I used to have some of these men as tutors and I must say that they are quite boring.”“Oh so you disagree with their teachings?”“Hmm? No that’s not it, I suppose they have some good points. Sometimes I think that our churches are terribly old fashioned. I just don’t like to spend my time thinking about these matters.”“So on what do you like to spend your time then?”Says Jakob, entering the conversation in a manner that’s reasonably tactful. “Well I am mostly interested in the dances of course. I also play the Lute and the Clavichord. My Mother tried to make me do embroidery with her but I hate needles, I suppose I do like fashion though.”She says it more to herself then to anyone in particular. Then she turns towards Jakob.“Are there many dances here?”“Well, we currently don’t stage many balls. But I certaintly do like Music so I wouldn’t be opposed to it. You mentioned your tutors previously, is there any subject that interested you in particular? I myself spend a lot of my time studying. Mostly philosophy, Mathematics and… Alchemy.”“Alchemy? Isn’t that something for lone men with great white beards in spider infested towers?”“Not at all actually, it’s a fascinating art combining philosophy and the natural sciences to analyse and create the miracle of transformation.”“Ah, I see.”The second course is served, and the meal progresses without further interruption. There is some talk about the weather, some gossiping and Martha asks Lisweta if she wants to play some music for her at some point in her stay. She hesitantly agrees but states that her visit won’t be long and that she will leave in a few days.After the meal Wilhelm suggests that Jakob takes Lisweta on a stroll to show her the rest of the Keep. Meanwhile he, Frida, Martha and Friedrich play a game of cards. Louisa retires to her quarters.Current Potence: Middling>Check up on Jakob and Lisweta>Check up on Louisa>Stay with the rest of the Family>Check up on the Staff>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other…(write in)
>>6474221>Check up on Jakob and LiswetaA fair compromise between our two votes, got a bit of both group's conversation.I'm tempted to just have us go back to sleep now, since things seem well in hand. Still, better to stick around, in case we need to give Lisweta one last scare. Gotta see this through.
>>6474221>Check up on Jakob and Lisweta
>>6474221>>6474360>>6474445Jakob leads Lisweta through the halls of the keep. He shows her the rooms and explains some of the history of it’s construction without much enthusiasm, Lisweta answers cordially but also without much enthusiasm. Lisweta sends one of the maids to fetch a coat from her room before they head outside to take a stroll around the castle. The two walk alongside eachother in silence until Jakob speaks up.“So how do you like our Keep so far?”Lisweta takes a while to think of a reply.“It’s very… rural”“Ah”“A bit cold I should think, is it always like this?”“I don’t feel like it’s particularly cold. Perhaps I am just used to it by now.”More silence“Say is it true what they say about your castle?”Lisweta says it as if she has been holding it back for a long time. “What do they say?”“That it’s haunted, that vengeful ghosts scourge it’s halls.”“I wouldn’t say it like that.”“But it’s true isn’t it? Just this morning I heard a strange voice. I was sure at first that it was just that servant but now i’m not certaint. I couldn’t make out what it was saying but it did sound quite vengeful. Quite frankly i don’t like it. This place seems hostile.”Current Potence: Middling>Wait and see how Jakob deals with the situation>Attempt to appear in the treeline where she can see you>Attempt to speak to them (Choose wether you want to scare, calm, or write in)>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other… (write in)
>>6474518>Wait and see how Jakob deals with the situation
>>6474518>>6474543“That shouldn’t worry you. I am sure it was nothing. Or perhaps it was the voice of our ancestor. And if that’s the case I am sure he would mean you no harm. Afterall you are our guest and not an intruder.”For a moment he seems as if he is about to touch her shoulder. But he reconsiders.“Oh leave me alone with those old superstitions.”“Well, it’s not a superstition. I have been in our family crypt where I have seen and heard him with my own eyes and ears. And I there were two other witnesses. So I would deem it an empirically observed fact.”“What? Listen even there is such a thing, then why would you pay any attention to it? My tutors told me that they are a distraction from finding god. I may not know much about god but I certainly know that he can’t be found in any disgusting crypts. Don’t tell me you had to touch some of those nasty old bones.”“Well, no I didn’t. But I thought this was a more common thing. Doesn’t your family venerate your ancestors?”“Well we certainly have to know much about our ancestors. My father made me memorize and recite back our family tree when I was little. But I don’t think we have ever done any worshipping. Not at least since our great grandfather, thank God.”Jakob seems unsure how to answer her. As they walk the sun starts to set, bathing the entire mountain and village below in an orange glow.“Well, like I said, I wouldn’t worry about that. Come now, let’s get back inside before it gets dark.”The two head back inside the keep. Dinner is served and eaten mostly in silence, punctuated only by the meaningless pleasantries of polite society. Frida, Wilhelm and Friedrich want to stay up and read for a while, while Martha, Jakob, Louisa and Lisweta all retire to their quarters.Current Potence: Middeling. >Check up on Frida, Wilhelm and Friedrich>Check up on Martha>Check up on Jakob>Check up on Lisweta>Roam the castle at night>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)>Other… (write in)
>>6474632>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)Decently handled Jakob. Time to sleep. This issue doesn't need us anymore. Lisweta will come around. Or she won't, if Friedrich is right. We'll deal with what comes, next year.
>>6474632>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)
>>6474632>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)He is a good son of the house lets see how this comes and goes
>>6474632>>6474725>>6474757>>6474832The denizens of Castle Rabenfels spent the rest of their night in their own ways. You yourself decide to save your strength for another day. Afterall you trust in the capable hands of your kin. As the moon hangs low over the jutting bone that is the Rabenfels keep you return to the crypt within it’s bowels.What you experience can scarcely be called sleep. Yet at some point you do feel yourself awaking. Much how no one can recall what they felt like before they were born, you cannot tell what happened or how much time has passed. Though you know it wasn’t that long from how little of your strength you have regained. But thankfully you were prudent with your efforts, so you are at your full strength yet again. You go upwards into the interior of the keep and survey it’s halls. This Bocksfeld girl is nowhere to be found so you assume she has already departed. You look out towards the walls and the courtyard, and you find one of the Rabenfels guards shouting over the ramparts to someone below at the gate. The Captain of our Houshold guard, a man with the sideburns in blackened armour, sends one of the guards inside the keep. You follow the man and he enters a room with Wilhelm and Jakob sitting inside of it. “My Lord, there are two men at the castle gates. They say they are here to visit Jakob Rabenfels.”Wilhelm wants to reply but Jakob quickly springs up“That must be Theodosius! I knew he would be able to make it this month!”Wilhelm simply shrugs.“Very well, let them inside. Let’s see what this Burgher is like.”
>>6474838The gate opens as they trail into the courtyard. Two figures ride in on horses. Both are cloaked, one of them rather tall, the other one rather small. They unsaddle and now you can clearly see that one of them is a man and the other a woman. Jakob approaches the man. “Theodosius? Is it you good friend?”The man grins revealing a smile of yellow teeth. He is wearing chainmail under his cloak and carries a mace in his belt.“Theodosius? Me? No I am simply the escort.”The woman approaches, and asks with a quiet voice“Are you Jakob Von Rabenfels?”“That I am, and who are you?”“My name is… well I am… my name is Theodora Schneider. But you might know me under the name Theodosius.”She slips off her hood, and you can now see that she is a young woman with curly long hair that falls down her shoulders. She wears on her nose a strange contraption made of Wood with two glass disks in it, it’s fastened to her face with strings.“You are Theodosius? I was talking to a woman this entire time?”“I apologise. I didn’t mean to trick you, it is the name under which I publish all my work. The subject never came up and I didn’t know how to explain myself. But I swear to god and the four that I never meant to deceive you.”Wilhelm and Jakob simply stand there in silence for moment. Until Jakob gestures to the keep.“Let’s head inside for now. It gets cold out here, please come.”They head inside and Wilhelm, still in shock, orders the staff to prepare for dinner. The young woman bows to him, clumsily but deeply.“You must be Lord Wilhelm Von Rabenfels. Please excuse my discourtesy my Lord. My father, Joseph Schneider respectfully sends his regards. I also bring you some gifts from him. Gunnar, would you help me please?”The man wearing chainmail retrieves a fine coat made from Maroon cloth, along with a decorative silver pin depicting a raven in flight. As the other members of the family gather in the room they are also given gifts. Theodora profusely bowing and introducing herself to them. Friedrich gets presented with a broad finely crafted dagger and Martha receives a small book containing ‘The Girl and the Moormännchen’ a folkloric tale written in prose. All are too stunned to tell her that it is customary among nobles for women to curtsy instead of bow. In a short while all are sitting down for dinner.
>>6474839At first Wilhelm and Frida Inquire about Theodoras family, and she tells them that he is a well to do draper in Auerstadt and that she is his only daughter. Martha also tries to find out more about Auerstadt but Theodora’s attention is quickly absorbed in a conversation with Jakob. The two begin an animated discussion of some matter of alchemical art, far to advanced and esoteric for you or anyone else in this room to follow along.Current Potence: Strong>Try to interrupt them in their discussion>Simply observe where this is going>Check up on Louisa. Why is she not at this dinner?>Other… (Write in)
>>6474841>Check up on Louisa. Why is she not at this dinner?There is something about this girl, and I'm not sure it is depression. A shame to miss the alchemical discussion, but the ones who need to know the details are already together, and we'll be able to read their magnum opus in the future, with luck.
>>6474841>>6474846In the middle of this peculiar display no one seems to have noticed that Friedrichs wife is missing. You leave the dining room behind and search through the rooms. You see the two maids cleaning and the old valet brushing the dust from a house banner. When you check in Friedrichs room you find her. Sitting at her Husbands table, right next to the bowl covered in cloth. She scribbles ink on a piece of parchment. You are able to look at what she is writing, and see the following letter being finished:‘My Dearest SunrayI have longed for your touch from the coldness of this tower. I haven’t forgotten our meeting from months ago. I still have the rose you plucked for me. I keep it here with me under my dress where no one can see it, right next to my heart. I don’t know when I can write you again. I don’t want them to grow suspicious. The women here are nice enough, but the men are dreary. I long to bask together in the sun with you again, get out of the shadows of this place. I stood up today with morning sickness. I am sorry that I cannot tell you more. There is a visitor today, causing a lot of commotion, so I hope that I can send this letter out to you unnoticed.’Louisa signs the letter with ‘in love, your dearest rose’ and looks it over for a moment.Current Potence: Strong>Knock over the Inkwell to ruin the letter>Attempt to speak to her>Check up on Jakob and Theodora>Check up on Wilhelm and Friedrich>Check up on Martha and Frida>Other… (write in)
>>6474918>Knock over the Inkwell to ruin the letter, quietly fetch Friedrich and inform him of what is transpiring. Catch her in the act as she rewrites the letter!Ah, so it is love! Well then! What drama, what shock! Yes, terrible business. Can our family sink any lower? Hopefully we resolve this and put it behind us and grow stronger from it.This will likely use up all our potence. I'm not sure we'll even have the strength to tell Friedrich after ruining the letter, but we can at least delay her, since this seems to be her only opportunity to send a letter unwatched in recent times. Regardless, we can inform him during our next waking moment. If we do have the necessary potence, then it'll be good to catch her in the act, maybe even catch the bird she apparently sends the letters by. This is all assuming she doesn't play it safe and join the rest of the family instead of rewriting it. Or that this isn't all a misunderstanding, and she isn't sending an intimately worded letter that is somehow entirely platonic, or a romantic letter to a female 'friend' instead. Imagine if the bird was who she was writing to, that would be a twist!
>>6474918>>6475017 +1
>>6474918>>6475017>>6475027Angrily you knock over the inkwell. The lady shrieks and clambers for her letter, but it ends up almost completely covered in ink. You quickly leave her and shift into the library where Friedrich and Wilhelm are currently having a heated discussion about todays visitor. You waste no time and address your kin. “Friedrich, you must hurry. Your wife is writing a letter, possibly to a lover. Do you hear me Friedrich? You must hurry to Louisa and catch her in the act! Quickly, go to Louisa, now!”The two men perk up from their conversation.“Hold on a moment uncle. Did you hear that?”“There was a voice just now wasn’t there? Hello? Frida? Martha? Johann?”The old shouts out to the door of the library but there is no answer“Maybe it was our ancestor trying to relay a message? I think I heard the name of my wife? Maybe… he’s trying to tell me that she’s in danger!”Friedrich immideatly jumps up and storms out of the room. He practically flies up the stairs shouting the name of his wife. “Y-yes dear?”She peeks her head out of Friedrichs chamber. Her cheeks are flushed and her hair a bit ruffled. She breathes heavily. He goes inside and looks around. The letter she was writing is nowhere to be found.“Did anything happen to you my dear?”“N-no, im fine. Why do you ask?”“Well I heard a voice and… What happened to your hands my dear?”You can see now that her hands are covered in black ink.“Oh I was writing something but silly me must have knocked over the inkwell. Completely ruined the letter too. I had to throw it out.”“Oh you poor thing, whom did you write to?”“My… my sister. Ive been meaning to write her for some time now. I’m sorry Friedrich, I didn’t want to waste your ink.”“Don’t worry about that my dear. I know you are homesick, look here my dear, possibly we will be able to visit your family next year. Would that perhaps cheer you up?”She still looks rather confused, and it takes her a moment to answer.“Yes, yes of course. Thank you so much my darling, yes that would mean a lot to me.”“Very well, now come honey. Let’s get your hands cleaned off.”Friedrich takes her in his arm and heads for the door.Current Potence: Waning>No not with me, that fool, get angry, rummage through the drawers, maybe we can find the letter?>Attempt to speak to him, he must know the truth>Check up on Jakob and Theodora>Other… (write in)>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)
>>6475062>Return to your slumber (Regenerates some of your Potency and skips time)Well, we tried. Physical acts are too taxing for us, especially in our current state. Speaking to him may work, but is liable to be misunderstood. It is not so important that it cannot wait until next years meeting. These dramas come and go. I'm also confident that Jakob and Theodora's meeting will go swimmingly.
>>6475062>Check up on Jakob and Theodora
>>6475062>>6475274>>6475276You leave the ill-fated couple alone and instead turn your attention towards your youngest living male relative. You find Jakob together with this Theodora person in his Chambers. The two are engaged in a vivid discussion. “Well I interpret him as essentially stating that Imbibition is also what defines human beings as such. In other words it is an external as well as internal process.”“Yes! That’s exactly what I was thinking as well. You know the laymen always want us to turn lead into gold but they never understand what that actually means and why one would want to achieve something like that. For them it’s only greed but for us it’s the final form of Purification. The Transformation of a base metal into a noble one is simply an expression of the Transformation already having occurred in the Alchemist themselves.”Jakob smiles brightly at this and gestures excitedly. These two seem to be egging eachother on in their fascination and jubilation.“I believe Catus the younger said something about this”“Yes yes! ‘Exterior pars speculum est interioris’ he said, I remember reading it. It really does remind me when in the Lixiviation of Cobalt one can clearly see the principle of Benidictus and and and…”With how fast she is speaking she seems to barely breathe at all. In the middle of her sentence she puts a hand on her forehead and nearly stumbles over herself. Jakob quickly grabs a nearby chair and holds her hand so she can sit down. Theodora’s cheeks are flushed red when she touches him.“Oh oh, thank you.”“Please do pace yourself, I couldn’t bear to watch you faint.” Thedora looks at Jakob with an expression that doesn’t take a Scholar to identify. Her eyes seem to be lost in his. “Th-thank you, you are so very kind”They are interrupted by a knock on the door. It is the old maid you have seen before. She does a curtsy before Jakob before she begins to speak.“My young lord. I apologize for interrupting you. But perhaps you would think it prudent for me to show our visitor the accommodations we have reserved for her.”“Oh of course, well Theodora… i mean, Fräulein Schneider I apologize for keeping you so long. I best let you recover from your travels.”The young woman shakes her head, her cheeks still red like an apple. “Please don’t apologize Lord Rabenfels, and you may call me by my first name I do not mind at all. Afterall we have known eachother for some time now.”“Then please do call me Jakob as well.”“Yes, I will do so. Jakob…”The young woman simply stands there fiddeling with her dress for a while. The maid looks at the both of them expectedly “Well, good night to you.” He gives her a nod and she takes her leave.“Yes, and to you as well.”The door closes and Jakob clutches at his chest, his other hand still lingering at the doorframe.(1/3)
>>6475424All these new revelations have exhausted you as well and though you are formless and without a body you still feel yourself getting heavier and heavier. So you return to the hall of bones to see what your descendants bring you in the next year.You rouse to consciousness as you feel the presence of Jakob, Friedrich and Wilhelm. It is once more time for a council between the living and the dead.[i]The current year is 31 in the Reign of Calderius.[/i]They call upon you as they have done before and Wilhelm steps fourth to deliver are thoroughly prepared report. But he is suddenly interrupted by his son rushing fourth and falling to his knees before you.“Noble Ancestor! Please hear my plea! I have recently met a woman whom I love more then my own life. I know that I am to be married to another woman, one of noble birth, but my heart only aches for Theodora. Please agree to let me marry her. My father would never allow me, but he cannot ignore your advice. She may not be of high blood, but she has manners and charm and intellect. And and her family is very wealthy and and…”“You blasted fool! Have some decency and get to your feet.” With much difficulty he is lifted by his father. He stares at you with shame in his eyes.“I apologise for my boy. He isn’t the same since he’s met with that commoner.” “But you have heard my great spirit, haven’t you? Please think of my request, if you were to grant me this blessing I shall spent my life in service to our family in every waking moment.”“Don’t be selfish boy! Keep your emotion in check as should be expected of a nobleman! Rejecting Lisweta would anger the House Von Bocksfeld. At worst it could mean a Feud!”Friedrich motions the two to calm themselves.“Restrain yourself, the both of you. Now personally I believe those Bocksfelders are cowards who would never start a feud. But that’s for our esteemed ancestor to decide. Before he does however, I believe he should hear our other concern…”>Allow Jakob to Marry Theodora>Force Jakob to elope with Lisweta>Other… (write in)“… namely what should be done with our dear Martha. This year we have the option of sending her either to the Lordship of Heilsbrun or to Dietmar Drucker, a Rich man in the free Reichsstadt of Seekamp to the north. He mostly deals in books and also owns several printing presses.”(2/3)
>>6475425You remember hearing of these printing presses. You thought it was a fad never to truly catch on but now you realise that apparently, they were quite successful, for a man to be rich from simply owning some of them. “We also must decide who to send along with her. I was thinking of sending at least a few guards along with her but someone from our family should also accompany her. If I am to be sent, then I would prefer to go to Seekamp with her I’ve been meaning to visit one of the bigger cities again.”You think long and hard about this. Sending Wilhelm would be quite good, he is experienced and wise and good with numbers and trade and such things. But if you do send him then his leadership would be missed here. Frida would be quite good as well, since it would be a comfort for the girl to have her mother with her. You could also send Jakob, he’s very academically inclined and could probably impress everyone with his knowledge. Friedrich is a good swordsman and has certaintly has some cunning, but his leadership is also needed here. You can send multiple people of course, but you must always remember that whomever you send away might also be needed here.>Send Martha to Heilsbrun>Send Martha to SeekampYou may choose from these as many as you’d like:>Let Friedrich accompany her>Let Wilhelm accompany her>Let Jakob accompany her>Let Frida accompany her>Let a servant accompany her (Write in which one)As you mull these things over there is also another matter at hand. One that only you know of.>Tell Friedrich that his Wife is cheating on him>Let him remain in ignoranceThanks for reading the quest so far. I think that after this council is over, I might take a break for a few days and then make another thread. I will tell you more in the next update. But do take your time in making your choices in the meantime. I will probably let this vote open for some time.(3/3)
>>6475425>Allow Jakob to Marry Theodora. Explain that Martha can marry the Heilsbrun candidate instead for connections, as Theodora's family's wealth negates the need for her to marry a merchant. Moreover, their alchemical studies will be fruitful, and their marriage will be happy, which is more than we can say for Lisweta and Jakob, or Friedrich and Louisa. Which brings us to...>Inform Friedrich of his wife's love letter and what we were trying to alert him to earlier this year. Also acknowledge Wilhelm's good advice to Jakob about building a strong marriage through effort over time, but note that Lisweta seemed to have a particularly strong disdain for our family and our home in private, not to mention her thoughts on ancestor worship and it being a distraction from finding God.Pfft, noble marriage, noble shmarriage...Friedrich might be right about the Bocksfelds and their motivation for letting Lisweta marry Jakob. Not to mention that she gave insult first, and is at odds with our family traditions. An adequate reason to call off the marriage. I question their will to go through with a feud if Friedrich is right, or otherwise they are just looking for a reason to feud anyways, in which case it is inevitable.>>6475426>Send Martha to Heilsbrun>Let Wilhelm accompany her>Let Frida accompany her>Tell Friedrich that his Wife is cheating on himThe logic being we'll find an ally in another duchy, which should cover our declining influence. Wilhelm and Frida need not be apart, she can have her mother and father with her, and Wilhelm can negotiate, as that seems to be something he is good at. Meanwhile, Friedrich can gain experience ruling the keep and our lands alone for a time, while Jakob tends to his marriage and focuses on his alchemy.Already mentioned to Friedrich about his wife above, but voting again here, in case anons don't care for my write-in.There's no need to make another thread QM, we're only on page 2. Threads on /qst/ last for 3-4 months before falling off nowadays. Not to mention everyone sorts by last reply. Not to mention that there is a thread limit per IP of 3. So you'll just end up at your limit within a month and a half at this rate.
>>6475425>Allow Jakob to Marry Theodora>Send Martha to Heilsbrun>Let Jakob accompany her>Tell Friedrich that his Wife is cheating on him
>>6475426>>6475524>>6475544You first turn to Jakob.“Jakob, noble scion of House Rabenfels. I have heard your plea and thought hard about it. You make some very convincing arguments. We can certainly expect this marriage to alleviate our financial burdens. I have seen this von Bocksfeld girl, and she does not fit into our house, though she is of noble birth. I will allow you to marry that commoner you have met. Though she is of a lowly background she can learn our ways and be a good companion to you. But always heed the wise words of your father. Love comes about when one creates a common future. And because she is a lowborn you both must work twice as hard. Your Father is right when he says that it might sour our relations with the Von Bocksfelders. But I trust in all of you to protect our Household. We will also send Martha to Heilsbrun this year. It would be best for our family if she were to marry a nobleman.”Your kin mutter and discuss your decisions for a while and they already prepare to bid you goodbye when you suddenly stop them.“Friedrich my son, there is something very important I need to tell you.”He looks up at your floating form with surprise. You deliberate on how you are to break the news to him, but you believe you simply must tell him the naked truth. “Friedrich, I have seen your wife writing letters in the keep. Behind our backs she has been sending letters to a lover. I believe that your wife has been unfaithful to you.”All members of house von Rabenfels have a fair complexion but at this moment any remaining colour is drained from Friedrich’s face. He is as pale as the bones of his Ancestors.“What? What do you mean? That can’t be true. Are you talking about Lisweta? My sweet lisweta? My sweet dear Lisweta?”Wilhelm steps fourth.“Noble ancestor, this is a grievous accusation. Are you truly sure of this?”“Yes. I have seen and read her letter. She was writing recently when that girl came to visit us. She called him ‘My Sunray’ and she said that she keeps a rose that he gifted her close to her heart. The letter is now destroyed but perhaps she still has the rose. You may see for yourself if you don’t believe me.”Friedrich slumps down on a stone sarcophagus. Jakob and Wilhelm pace about and ponder. The old man speaks out first.>Cont'd
>>6476060“If this is true then it’s an unforgivable crime. And a stain on the honour of our Family. How could she betray us thus?”“What should we do about this? Should we detain her? Hold her hostage? Tell her family? Can we even prove anything?”Jakob paces about, just as wildly as his father. Friedrich remains silent. The old man begins to shake his head in frustration.“How should we even punish her? In the old customs of our land an adulteress would be publicly shamed. Her husband would shave her head and brand her with a hot iron. And her lover would usually be shamed in a similar manner. Unless of course his family shields him and believes in his innocence, in which case he is expected to defend himself in trial by combat. There is also the church of course, they usually want the sinners to repent. In this case she would have to enter a convent for the rest of her life, and her lover would need to help finance a shrine, or chapel. But the prosecution could be rather easy if we get our relative Kertzig to help our case. In any case, whatever we do we would surely risk feuding with the House Von Kattenburg, especially if we judge her by local customs and publicly shame her.”You can hear Friedrich softly muttering something under his breath.“But dear father, you have forgotten that there are now also Imperial laws, usually they aren’t often enforced. But they do present another option atleast. They are far more forgiving, only requiring monetary recompensation to the betrayed husband and an immediate divorce. This option would likely be considered the most fair way to settle the problem by the other houses.”“My nephew, I see what you are saying but we must consider-““kill her”Friedrich hisses through his teeth. Jakob and Wilhelm look at him in stunned silence.“KILL HER”He hisses again, louder this time“Just kill her, just kill the fucking whore. Kill her and be done with it.”Jakob tries to put a hand on his cousin’s shoulder but he shakes him off. He clenches his teeth and points at you.“I hope to God you are lying, specter. Otherwise, I will never be able to forgive her.”Jakob tries to calm everyone down.“Look perhaps this has just been a big misunderstanding. Perhaps we can just forget all of this and pretend it never happ-“Friedrich shoots him a single look that makes it clear that that will not happen.You can read Friedrichs thoughts, though you would rather not. You can see blood being spilled and skulls being cracked. A neck sliced open to be drained into a bowl and a pleading man who’s cries for mercy fall on deaf ears.“I am going hunting. On my own. I will be camping in the woods. I will be back by tomorrow.”Friedrich walks out of the crypt without another word, and without looking back.
>>6476062Jakob and Wilhelm are quiet for a while. Wilhelm speaks in a soft voice after a long moment of silence.“There is one more thing. Wether in church or local law, if a husband catches his cheating wife in the act, and he kills both her and her lover in his rage, then it is not considered a murder.”What is your advice for the family?>Detain Lisweta and legally prosecute her.>Try to convince Friedrich to lay a trap for Lisweta so he can catch her in the act. >Simply wait and see what will happen.>Other…(write in)If you do choose to prosecute her, by which law do you want to do so?>She should be judged by local Custom.>Only god and thus the church can judge her.>We should consult the imperial codes of law for this.>>6475524Oh I didn’t know people sorted by last reply here. I assumed it was bump order like any other board but I suppose it makes sense with the autosage. Thank you for explaining, in that case I will keep with this thread for now. Anyway, I will leave the vote for who to send open for a while and then throw a dice if we don’t get any new votes.
>>6476064>Simply wait and see what will happen.>We should consult the imperial codes of law for this.
>>6475524Thread limit is actually of 5, not 3
>>6476064>We leave it to their discretion. It is best they gather evidence though, and talk things through together when everyone has a cool head, regardless of the final chosen path of prosecution. Even if it is decided that she should be killed, it should not be murder. The family requires legitimacy.Ultimately we are an advisor. Sometimes our wisdom does more than guide the family, but they're the ones actually there, dealing with the consequences of their actions. Friedrich in particular will have to decide whether what is best for the family or for his whims come first. This a matter of justice and emotion, but could also become a costly legal and/or military matter.>Again, we leave it to their discretion. This depends on their decision as a family, whether Friedrich's satisfaction comes first, our choice of which laws to acknowledge, and whether a potential feud is worth it.
>>6476064>We leave it to their discretion. It is best they gather evidence though, and talk things through together when everyone has a cool head, regardless of the final chosen path of prosecution. Even if it is decided that she should be killed, it should not be murder. The family requires legitimacy.
>>6476064>>6476072>>6476152>>6476189Current Reichsgulden: 226Yearly expenses: -25Yearly Income:(Taxes): +22New Reichsgulden: 223Wilhelm and Jakob look at you expectedly.“I cannot make any choices for you. I simply had to tell you the truth. You must solve this issue amongst yourselves. But I do advise you, do not let Louisa get murdered. It would spell doom for our family. You should be calm and collect evidence and then decide what to do on the grounds of that.”They look at each other slightly perplexed, as if surprised by your indecision. Then they bow slightly before you and leave the crypt thus ending the council. You decide to go back to sleep to be strengthened for the next year.As you awake you feel that it is deep in the night. Most of your Kin are sleeping but some lost souls are still awake. You float through the corridors of Castle Rabenfels to inspect the state of your descendants. Eventually you spot Friedrich. He looks quite different from the last time you saw him. It doesn’t look like he has been taking good care of himself. His hair is grown out and there is a wild, almost demonic glint in his eyes. As you look closer you can see he is holding a dagger he was recently gifted. You realise that he is making his way to his own chambers, presumably to murder is wife in her sleep. Before you can react you see a figure emerging from the shadows and standing before Friedrich. It is the old man Wilhelm. He hisses quietly.“Friedrich! Please stop! I know what you are planning and I cannot let it happen. This would ruin our family, is your own satisfaction more important to you then the future of our house?”“Get out of the way old man. I can’t have my honour stained like this.”He tries to move past his uncle but is grabbed by him and a scuffle ensues.Current Potence: Middling>Try to push over Friedrich>Try to push over Wilhelm>Don’t interfere>Try to wake up another member of the household (Write in who)>Other...(write in)Sorry for the few updates. I am more busy now so i will only be able to update once a day or once every other day now.
>>6476823>Try to push over FriedrichThe conflict right in front of us takes priority over waking someone who would only arrive late and bear witness to what comes. Stopping Friedrich takes priority, and I think there's less chance of him falling on his knife, given that he is holding it. Whereas if Wilhelm falls, there is a chance he suffers Friedrich's wrath.If someone dies, then we should at least remind them to use the bronze bowl. It's sociopathic, but we'd get some use out of the spilled lifeblood.
>>6476823>Try to push over Friedrich
>>6476823>>6476965>>6476989The two are almost equally matched. Though Friedrich is younger and stronger, but Wilhelm can still hold him back by grabbing his arm with both of his hands. You give Wilhelm a little push, enabling him to knock down Friedrich. With much effort he manages to isolate the mans arm.“Let go of me now old man! That Bitch dies tonight, I swear it on god’s fiery servant!”“Friedrich stop now I beg of you. We need to work together. I guarantee you, you will have your revenge if only you are patient.”They both stop their struggle for a moment, as they hear footsteps fast approaching.“Can you guarantee that old man?”“I do, I swear to god. I swear it on the bones of my father!”Friedrich relents and they both stand up to quickly and dust themselves off. Just then around the corner, with shaky steps walks Johann, the old manservant. He raises his eyebrows as he sees the two men, still red in their faces and panting from their scuffle.“Mylords? You are still awake at this hour? Are you allright? May I assist you in some matter?”Wilhelm gives the servant a nod.“No Johann, we don’t require anything. We were just about to head out for a nightly walk to enjoy the cool air.”The servant bows with much effort and takes his leave.You follow the two men as they wake up Jakob and gather in a forlorn corner of the castle to plot.“So what is it you have to offer me?” Jakob gives his Father a nod, and the old man sighs.“If she truly must die, then there is a way that won’t incur the wrath of the law ipon our house. No matter if custom, or the words of clergy no one can deny the rage of a scorned husband. If a man kills his wife and her lover after catching them in the act then he is not declared a murderer, as he is considered to have been blinded by his rage in that moment.”“Are you expecting me to wait until my wife fuck another man? Are you insane or just wicked? You think I would accept this?”“Please Friedrich listen, it is the only way for you to be rid of them both. We know it’s what you want the most.”“Yes, and we do have a plan. We simply must lure her lover in, create a sort of trap. An opportunity for you to discover them, ideally with witnesses present. We will tell her that she may invite some of her family members to dine with us. No doubt she won’t resist the temptation of inviting her lover as well. We must simply let her write her letters undisturbed.”“How spineless, I despise such trickery.”[blue] Low motivation and little oppertunities to write for me atm. But I don’t want this quest to die. Sorry for leaving on that cliffhanger so long and thank you if you are still reading. But please for now just roll to see if they manage to convince him. They roll a 1d20 with +4 because both of them are talking to him. The DC is 9. Also: [/blue]>Do something else in the castle (Write in)>Advance to the next scene after this.
Rolled 8 + 4 (1d20 + 4)>>6478028>Advance to the next scene after this.Welcome back QM.We have little to do but let the family work, our power is middling.
Rolled 5 + 4 (1d20 + 4)>>6478028Just in case you want more than one roll>Advance to the next scene after this.
