Council of Leaders (September)
Plague
The plague is worse in Lyssan and Yuri Kavlor writes to all members advising the meeting will have to be held in Careine.
The Council of Leaders
The Leaders arrive in Careine and Mara has set up a meeting room in the Guild Hall of the Careine Merchants Guild. She is accompanied by two Orog guards. She welcomes the Leaders and they are escorted to the meeting room.
Tax Problems
The meeting starts late as they are waiting for members to arrive and make it through the city. By midday, Denerick has still not arrived, but Yuri calls the meeting to order anyway.
Aidan sets up a separate table to collect their summer tax contribution to the State Treasury from each member as they arrive. Both Yuri and Vlad say due to the plague they are unable to pay anything that quarter.
Charrek cheers him up by pointing out he will be in a position to pay the remaining 5,000gp he owes at the end of November. That will sort out the finances.
Yuri starts the meeting with Denerick not there, but as he does the sea captain arrives. Aidan asks for his tax money, but he forgot to do so.
Army and Plague
Yuri announces that he has appointed Bram Van De Berg as the new commander of the army, the best officer he was able to persuade to leave the Red Eagles. Bram has relocated the army from Lyssan to Hamein as planned, but discovered that the troops have the plague and it has spread to Hamein. Any plans to confront the goblins are in ruins at the moment.
Vlad then outlines how he has spent a lot of his personal money to bring in doctors and medics from Rohrmarch, who have been helping victims to recover in Hamein. They believe the disease is Typhiod, caused by poor sanitation. The army has left the town of Hamein for the countryside, where the isolation may help contain the outbreak. A number of knights and healers from Broken Hill also came to help Hamein.
Vlad will have the doctors he has employed draw up a report to help other areas cope with the plague. Yuri also recommends that each leader bar citizens from the infected areas entering their towns until the plague dies down.
The Anuireans and the Brother Mages
Mara reports that her spies have determined that when the Anuireans crossed over into Coeranys, they visited a tower belonging to one of the Three Brother Mages located in the swamps and guarded by lizard men. One of her spies found the place, but was attacked and later died from poison on the weapons of the lizard men. It is possible that the Anuireans then crossed back into the Chimaeron, current location unknown. It is becoming dangerous and costly for her spies to remain there though.
Lukas points out there are reports of large number of lizard men near Luandar. Vlad asks if the swamp could be drained or damned, but it could require a lot of engineering along the river Qatil.
Vlad suggests the lizard men could be under the control of the Mage, like the goblins and wonders if the third mage is controlling the pirates. Mhowe is where they think the third mage is and there are pirates there.
He wonders is there is some sort of magical power triangle that they are forming. Yuri says probably but who understands much about magic anyway? If one of the mages can be rooted out of their power base, their whole operation may collapse.
Wizard in Mhowe
Denerick says it will not be easy to find the wizard in Mhowe, they are hidden and clever. Charrek, Mara and Vlad round on him, asking if he is bothered that they could take over the country. Denerick says he thought they were after magic power not political power.
Mara says their power is causing problems like earthquakes, but Denerick says he thought that was not them. This prompts some members to ask he if knows more than he is saying. Denerick seems a little subdued, not his normal flamboyant self. He says he is tired.
Pirates in Mhowe
Mara then reports that her spies came back from Hamein hearing tales of Krakens, but that is probably a cover for pirate activity. Her spies in Mhowe had heard that Denerick was actually the leader of the pirates.
Denerick does not respond to this until pressed. He seems confused about why they are talking about pirates and then denies he is involved with them.
Vlad suggests that the pirates are controlled by the Brother Mages and that Denerick could be in their pocket. Mara says he has done little to help the Council recently. Denerick pledges to do more and he says he will find the pirates, but his distant response causes Council members to note he is acting strange.
Denerick Not Himself
Charrek suggests he is in the pay of the wizards. Denerick says he does not need money from wizards, but Mara asks who on the Council would say they have too much money. Members continue to question Denerick and his weak responses make them wonder if he is ill.
Mara suggests calling a doctor to examine him but Denerick tells them to leave him alone and carry on with the meeting. Harry then taps him, about to say something, but Denerick reacts violently, backing into a corner of the room and telling Hari not to touch him.
What happened to Denerick?
Mara summons her guards and they go to arrest Denerick, but he suddenly shimmers and changes shape into a bald-headed being in robes and flies out of the window. Hakim shouts up that it was a Djinn, from the legends from his childhood.
Yuri is shocked and demands to know what just happened. They arrange for Vlad to touch each of the other members to make they are real, which they seem to be.
They wonder what has happened to Denerick. Yuri points out he was told Denerick was away on a voyage and would not be back for two months. He could be a prisoner of the Mages.
Charrek suggests someone is appointed to take control in Mhowe. Yuri has the Council resolve to appoint Aidan as acting mayor of Mhowe as he is nearby, with a mandate to take control in the city and find out what is going on. Vlad suggests he could employ the Red Eagles to help take Mhowe, which is agreed.
Adjournment to the Pub
Yuri then calls for a break. He needs a drink. Mara says the Lusty Leopard is a good inn and the Council leave the build and head there. Aidan points out he does not partake of alcohol.
The members engage in a bit of banter while they are there. Hakim mentions that he heard there had been a slaughter of goblins recently in Tulear and wonders how a religious man like Aidan tolerates that. Aidan says he knows nothing about it. Yuri says the only good goblin is a dead goblin.
The Chimaera Comes
Hari and Vlad are exchanging barbs when there is a commotion outside. They go outside and people are pointing at a creature flying around the Guild Hall. It is the Chimaera.
They head for the Guild Hall. Vlad wonders if it is the Chimaera or another Djinn. They go up to the roof of the Hall, where the Chimaera has landed and is demanding to speak to the Council of Leaders.
Charrek notes the voice seems rather deep for a woman. Yuri is not sure, he knows she has the appearance of a monster and has had a woman speak for her in the past.
The Chimarea tells them that they must not interfere in the magic of the realm. She will deal with the Three Brother Mages, she knows what to do about them. She does not need their help and they should not interfere in her affairs.
When they ask further questions, he becomes angry and tells them not to be insolent. When Charrek questions why her voice is so male, she changes her voice to female and says she can have any voice she wants.
Do as I Say
She is aware that the Brother Mages had tried to impersonate Denerick and decided it was time she intervened. The Mages are too powerful for them, they should leave them to her.
Mara asks about the goblins, lizards and pirates that they command. She says she will deal with them too.
Charrek says his sister is a seer and she thought that the Chimaera wanted them to deal with the Mages. Vlad points out the Brother Mages would not want them to interfere either.
The Chimaera tells them to worry about their petty affairs and she will deal with the magical issues and resolve the goblins.
She demands their agreement for non-interference and they do so. She warns that she will kill anyone who crosses her and then flies off.
That was not the Chimaera
Charrek points out that while she had the lions head and wings, she lacked the two human arms that images in his home town depict and he has seen her flying over Rourke. That was an imposter working for the Mages.
Yuri says their agent Suleiman had fled Lyssan when tried to investigate him. Lukas suggests that the Mages must be getting worried about their plans.
Charrek says his sister can see things and she saw that the Mages were the enemies of the Chimaera and were not behind the earthquake. Yuri points out that is what the Dwarves said and asks if Charrek managed to see them again, but he was too late they had left the capital by the time he approached them.
What Can We Do Now?
Lukas laments their current weak position with lizard men, goblins, pirates and plague. Yuri says we will get through this bad time and turn the tables on these Mages. They need to put all their resources into raising an army and getting back control of the country. Aidan suggests raising taxes.
There is a wide-ranging discussion about how to improve the country in the future and possibly start a foreign legion. In the end, they resolve mustering soldiers from beggars in Luandar to fight the lizard men, which Hari Bourne will assist Lukas with. Mara can start mustering some Cavalry in Careine with the money she has, though it is an expensive affair.
Hakim offers to train his goblins in Barniere to fight the goblins in Hamein and offer them freedom to stay in return. Vlad is sceptical but Hakim suggests he is blinded by their race.
The Armourers Guild in Lyssan has been struck by plague and Charrek says an Armourers business is starting up in Rourke and can take orders.
A Plan to Save the Country
Mara asks what about Denerick. Aidan says he thought it had been agreed he was going to take over in Mhowe, hiring the Red Eagles plus some of the faithful of Nesirie will march on the city and take over. Yuri confirms that is the plan.
Mara questions if they can overcome Mhowe and the goblins and the lizard men and the plague. Yuri says one at a time. Take Mhowe then march north to deal with the goblins. Then the cavalry from Careine and troops from Luandar can attack the lizard men. Mara says she will recall her spies and concentrate on cavalry.
Hakim repeats his offer to arm the goblins to join the army, so long as they will not be made slaves after. Charrek supports him and despite Yuri’s dislike of goblins this is agreed.
Involving Broken Hill
Mara asks about Broken Hill. Vlad says he has not been able to contact them due to the plague, but they have sent help to his province. They have knights and may be able to offer help, but they are followers of Haelyn. Hari and Aidan say they are dangerous religious zealots who are not to be trusted.
Vlad suggests they could then have Broken Hill take over Mhowe and join the Council that way, without adding a new member. Aidan is annoyed at that because he thought he was going to be in charge in Mhowe, but Vlad and Mara say that is only temporary.
Aidan says his people will not fight if they are going to be betrayed. Yuri tells him not to be a pain in the arse and just do it. They can work something out that will please everyone.
Yuri makes sure everyone is doing something to help with the current crisis and then brings the meeting to a close.
Training Grounds for Troops
Vlad proposes starting a proper training ground for troops south of Lyssan in Hamein and asks others to help contribute towards the costs of setting it up.