Council of Leaders (July)
The Council of Leaders
Charrek has not attended the meeting and nobody knows why, but Yuri starts the meeting anyway.
Mara has sent her people out to find the Anuireans and the pirates but they have not reported back yet. She has not yet spoken to the Coeranian Ambassador as there is nothing yet to report about the pirates.
No Militia from Salviene
Yuri then raises the army he is raising. Every other Leader has sent him the militia he needs except Hari Bourne in Salviene. Hari says he has been busy but when Mara, Yuri and Vlad begin to criticise him, he reveals he is concerned that the army will be used by Yuri to take over.
Yuri denies this, saying their purpose is to be able to respond to emergencies, defend us and stop dwarves, goblins or Mages pushing them around. He agrees that the army will not go anywhere without a vote of the Council, although Vlad says they should still be allowed to act in an emergency.
Yielding to pressure, Hari agrees to send his quota of men.
Dwarves and Mages
Yuri is disappointed that some members of the Council have been seen talking to the Dwarves who came last month. He is concerned that the Dwarves are making a deal with the Three Brother Mages and no-one on the Council has any idea what that deal is about. His people cannot speak Dwarven so spying on them is not effective.
Vlad suggests dealing with the Mages or at least finding out where they are and Mara agrees. Yuri is more concerned about stopping the Dwarves making a deal.
Vlad suggests having Hari escort the Dwarves to a meeting with the Chimaera, but Hari tells him to fuck right off.
Yuri says if anyone is found helping with these Dwarves make deals with the Three Brother Mages - that would be treason. The punishment for which is to be sent to the Chimaera to be eaten.
Yuri suggests ordering them to go home. Lukas and Mara points out they believe they are important people from the Dwarven Kingdom and they have done nothing wrong.
Finding the Three Brother Mages
Lukas suggests that the location of the Three Brother Mages should be determined. Yuri points out there are already two investigations going on and while he has some hints and clues, he knows the mages are not in his area.
Mara asks what Denerick is doing about the mages operating in his area. Vlad then says if he is such a good captain, he would not allow pirates to operate in his area. Denerick defends himself saying the pirates do not bother him and his ships are away for months on trade missions, he is not in a position to police the seas.
Denerick says he does not know who the pirates are. Vlad suggests a captain of his prestige should be able to spot a pirate a mile away. Denerick laughs and points out that they do not fly skull and crossed-bones flags!
How did we get onto pirates anyway, asks Denerick. We were talking about the mages. What is the plan for finding them? Yuri says Lukas, Hari, Denerick, Aidan and Vlad must make a concerted effort to find the mages in their provinces. Do not wait for the next meeting, send information to him as soon as they find anything and he will co-ordinate and communicate as needed.
Mage in Mhowe
Yuri then rounds on Denerick and tells him he has heard one of the Brother Mages actually lives in his town. Why doesn’t he stop pissing about on his ships for five minutes and help the Council find these mages?
Denerick is offended by this and pledges to have his people look for this mage. He was unaware of that fact, which Yuri scoffs at. He has been mayor for ten years and never heard that a mages and pirates are operating in his town? He needs to start doing more to help the Council.
Denerick Not Co-operating
Mara, Vlad and Lukas join in criticising how in-effective Denerick is, who then says he has had enough of being insulted. He looks angry and flustered, standing up and saying if they want him to stay they have to show him more respect.
Yuri tells him if he does not want to be part of the Council, there will be consequences. If you are not with the Council, you are against us. Denerick says he is not against the Council he just against being treated so unfairly.
Mara brings up Broken Hill and says what about asking them for help finding the Three Brother Mages. Yuri suggests Vlad goes to talk to them and may be if they did join the Council, they will be more co-operative than existing members.
Denerick asks if he is trying to drive him off the Council and Yuri says he is driving himself off. He needs to pull his weight and find these mages. Denerick pledges to look for them.
Vlad tells him to have a clerk check the property records, but Denerick points out he does not even know their names. He says he will search every single house if needed. Yuri tells him we want action here, not words.
Yuri then reminds the other members they need to look into the Brother Mages as well. Be subtle though, we do not want to alert them that we are onto them.
Goblins
Yuri then calls a break as people were getting angry and he talks to Denerick to try to calm him down.
Yuri then says he wants to talk about goblins and that he does not like the idea of them settling on human lands, especially in Barniere. Hakim el-Qadr asks since when has there been a problem on this Council about goblins. It was Yuri drove the goblins out of Lyssan into Barniere.
Yuri says that the neighbours in Rohrmarch are upset that goblins are being allowed to live on human lands. The Council of Leaders was formed to unite the human settlements and drive the goblins into the mountains.
Hakim says if the goblins cross him, they will pay, but they have done everything he asked them to do. The farming land they took over was flooded and they have re-claimed it.
Damaging Our Reputation
Yuri says they are scum and it damages the country’s reputation to allow them to settle. Hakim asks if he wants him to drive the 300 goblins out into Rohrmarch or just murder them? It was Yuri who caused this by driving the goblins out of Lyssan and now he does not like how the problem has been resolved in Barniere.
Mara suggests driving them back into the mountains, but Yuri says once they are in the mountains, we will never find them and they will continue to cause problems.
Vlad suggests that Denerick could do something useful and use his ships to move the goblins. Denerick, already feeling victimised, tells them to deal with the problem themselves. Vlad points out once again he is no use when the Council needs him.
Hakim then says nobody takes his goblins without his permission. He has given them his word and they are under his protection. He has honour and he will not go back on his word.
Goblins can be Slaves
Mara says she heard goblins are being used as slaves. Yuri says he is happy for them to be slaves, but they cannot become land owners or get jobs and be paid.
Yuri says he wants to bring in a law preventing goblins from owning property or having jobs in the Chimaera. Hakim says he can do that in his province, but Yuri wants the Council to pass a law that applies across the whole country. Goblins having free reign is damaging trade with Rohrmarch.
Vlad has a private word with Yuri, suggesting everyone else can make this law in their provinces and drive all the goblins into Barniere, causing the goblins there to become a problem.
Yuri says that is not enough, Rohrmarch does not like this. It needs to be a national law. Hakim can keep his goblins but they will need to be slaves not free. Will that satisfy his honour?
You don’t give Rights to your Horses
Hakim asks if this is the will of the whole Council. He challenges Aidan who, as a man of God, should disagree with slaves. Aidan says he does not agree with goblins in the country either. Slavery would be a kindness, it gives them a chance to work and live. Hakim is dismissive of his double standards.
Mara and Vlad speak in support of the law. Lukas points out goblins are not people - you don’t rights to your horses, why give rights to your goblins?
Hakim points out dwarves are not human either. “Shorty” is not here tonight, maybe we should make him a slave too? No? Maybe because dwarves would rise up and kill humans if we tried.
When still no one backs him, Hakim says fine, fine pass your law. The goblins are his slaves, he will treat them however he likes. Yuri welcomes the unanimous agreement of the Council and the law is passed.
Yuri then reminds Hari to send him the men he needs and everyone else to look out for the Brother Mages, then brings the meeting to a close.