King Simulator 2013

[selmiak]

we either marry her or tax her to get her coins. Marrying her will probably annoy us, taxing her will annoy her and she might try to annoy us and avoid these taxes and paying back for not marrying her.
Or we marry her, let her live her life, still get coins and when she gets annoying we just kill her in a royal way 

[miguel]

>Once again thank Broomhilde for her offer and tell her that we will indeed think her proposal over. Afterwards summon Jester and Lancelot and ask them what they know about the Yesteryear family.

+1

+1
Sounds good, but it could be even better if we had a spy.

[CaptainD]

Sounds good, but it could be even better if we had a spy.

I suggest sending someone disguised as a French Onion Seller.

[miguel]

Mais oui, msieur! I totally agree, French onion sellers never get caught!

[Problem]

But we all know what happens to them IF they get caught...

>Once again thank Broomhilde for her offer and tell her that we will indeed think her proposal over. Afterwards summon Jester and Lancelot and ask them what they know about the Yesteryear family.

+1

[NightHawk]

>Once again thank Broomhilde for her offer and tell her that we will indeed think her proposal over. Afterwards summon Jester and Lancelot and ask them what they know about the Yesteryear family.

+1

[Baron]

>Once again thank Broomhilde for her offer and tell her that we will indeed think her proposal over. Afterwards summon Jester and Lancelot and ask them what they know about the Yesteryear family.

+1

Although I'm disappointed she didn't indulge us much with the wine: these Yesteryears play with their cards close to their chests....  Maybe Hirschel could whip up a bit of a love potion, just to see what would happen.  Of course first we'd have to fend off the taste-tester first....

[Ghost]

Maybe Hirschel could whip up a bit of a love potion, just to see what would happen.  Of course first we'd have to fend off the taste-tester first....

+1 on that. Sounds like... an ADVENTURE GAME!

[WHAM]

You thank Broomhilde for her offer, but your response makes it absolutely clear that you are not ready to make this sort of decision so quickly, even with such amounts of money made available to you.



Broomhilde looks disappointed, but graciously accepts your indecisiveness.
"As you wish, my King, I will be available, should you change your mind."

With that she stands up and begins to make her leave.

After she is out of earshot you call for Lancelot and the Jester and request them to tell you what they know of the Yesteryears.



Jester pipes up first:

"My King, the Yesteryears are and have always been one of the most wealthy noble lines known to our realm. However, in a most unfortunate and unsightly administrative mistake by one of the past kings of the land, the Yesteryears were given exemption from taxes and all other responsibilities to the realm and to the crown. They are highly secretive and cunning, and are said to have dozens of high-level spies and saboteurs in their service.

Effectively, they are an autonomous independent state the size of a mansion and a small tract of forested land surrounding it. Most of their businesses are run outside of our Kingdom and any income they collect is transported to their highly guarded mansion and used sparingly. Only a few people have seen the building's interior, but it is said that the building is well-guarded and almost maze-like, in order to protect the Yesteryear's considerable wealth.

The EVIL KING sought to bring the Yesteryears to bend the knee to the crown once more and hoped to claim even a portion of their wealth, but the Yesteryears are well protected by mercenary knights and traps, and thus the EVIL KING's assassins and burglars failed miserably and even the EVIL KING could not raise enough men to make him feel secure enough to think that the Yesteryears would accept any changes in the Crown LAW that would have affected them negatively."

Lancelot nods, confirming the Jester's words. Then he speaks as well:

"The Yesteryears wield a considerable force of knights, who serve both as bodyguards to the Yesteryears as well as guards to their estate. Their lands are also infested with semi-feral wolf-dogs, which have been trained to attack but those serving the Yesteryears, although we do not know how this has been done. Most intruders to their lands meet a nasty fate in the hands of these wolf-dogs, and the few that make it through are cut down by the knights, or hired to serve the Yesteryears should their skills be of interest at the time."

[NightHawk]

> Ask them both to come up with a list of the best candidates to lead our spy network.

[miguel]

But we all know what happens to them IF they get caught...

Well, Problem, it's part of the risk of being part of La Resistance!

. They are highly secretive and cunning, and are said to have dozens of high-level spies and saboteurs in their service.

See?
Meaning the Yesteryears know that we have no money and our military strength.
Also, after what Lancy and Jesterino told us, I think that it would be too dangerous to marry the old carcass. They are already rich and powerful, give them a title and they'll run the country.

I'd go with NightHawk and hire some extra eyes, we need to know prices as well:

> Ask them both to come up with a list of the best candidates to lead our spy network.

+1

[WHAM]

You request Lancelot and the Jester to provide you with a list of candidates for court SPYMASTER's.



Lancelot shakes his head, looking disappointed.

"My King, I cannot in good conscience recommend that we hire a spy. Such behavior is lowly and not suitable for  the values of a proper leader. One should rule only through virtue, faith and strong will, not by employing sneaks and thieves to listen, lie and steal."

The Jester on the other hand is more open to the idea:

"There are many different types of potential spies within your realm and beyond.

For example, many innkeepers and even courtesans tend to hear all sorts of things in their line of work, and thus have a good sense of events within our realm, their contacts might also allow them to serve as operators for a number of underlings.

On the other hand people who work in caravans, traders and diplomats and such, travel outside of our realm and can gather information abroad and are also often of some considerable wealth, which might help them to purchase the loyalty of many sneakier elements of society with relevan ease.

I also hear that one of the pirate clans specializes in training assassins and thieves, whom they insert into towns and keeps by small boats and who then scale walls and steal both gold and information with ease, perhaps we could hire one such individual?

There are also wild tales of a fold a furry-folk living in the jungles far to the northwest. It is said that they move among the trees and ancient ruins like shadows and that they train the finest assassins the world has ever known, although contacting them and hiring one might be quite troublesome.

Lastly, we can always just hire someone from our own realm, someone from Lancelot's upcoming militia might show promise, or perhaps one of the RANGER's? Such a person should be well-versed in travelling the countryside and moving silently, so further training and equipment might make such a person a valuable active spy.

Whichever type of spy we pursue, we must be ready to play handsomely to ensure loyalty of such an individual, for a poorly-paid spy makes for a likely traitor."

[miguel]

I see that we have a problem with Lancy. I think we should keep the spy a secret, anyway.

> Thank Lancelot and dismiss him;
> Ask the Jester to HIRE 2 spies: a merchant and a courtesan.Have them here individually and at separate dates to engage contract talks;

[NightHawk]

> Hire a diplomat, and an assassin and thief from the pirate clan.

[Baron]

> Interview courtesans.  Lots of courtesans....

[Tibatonk]

I see that we have a problem with Lancy. I think we should keep the spy a secret, anyway.

> Thank Lancelot and dismiss him;
> Ask the Jester to HIRE 2 spies: a merchant and a courtesan.Have them here individually and at separate dates to engage contract talks;

Yeah, throwing Lancelot out of the room before hiring a spy and keeping him out of the loop will certainly placate him...

The way I see it, Lancelot and his men remain our best asset for the time being. And it's impossible to outweigh them with a single spy. So we should be careful how we proceed.

>Tell Lancelot that we appreciate and share his concern. But go on to explain that the current lack of information on both domestic and international affairs remains our kingdom's greatest weakness. Therefore we are not looking for someone to steal information or assassinate, but for someone to coordinate the gathering of information, to inform us of possible allies or enemies, to warn us of threats, and to advise us on opportunities.

Let's see how Lancelot reacts to that before further upsetting him.

[Problem]

>Tell Lancelot that we appreciate and share his concern. But go on to explain that the current lack of information on both domestic and international affairs remains our kingdom's greatest weakness. Therefore we are not looking for someone to steal information or assassinate, but for someone to coordinate the gathering of information, to inform us of possible allies or enemies, to warn us of threats, and to advise us on opportunities.

+1

[miguel]

Yeah, throwing Lancelot out of the room before hiring a spy and keeping him out of the loop will certainly placate him...

But a good spy will not reveal himself, even for touchy Lancy Pants.

Lancelot ideals were pretty noble and cool but they died with him and his keen. Big empires were successful because rulers conspired, killed and stole from everybody that wanted their place. Do we want to win this game or do we want to play King Arthur?

[Problem]

But Lancelot is not an idiot. If we dismiss him and continue talking to the Jester he'll put two and two together. Lancelot is too important for us, we shouldn't offend him like this.

[miguel]

I get you, I just think that it's just the way it goes. We can't always be the good King in order to respect Lancelot. Although I agree that he probably is our best asset we have a game to play and possibly (WHAM will) win.