Chapter 1: Uncertain Friends and Certain Enemies

[WalterPeck]

Nuallan raised his goblet in the air and cheered to the toast. Draining the goblet dry Nuallan stared at the cup for a moment and couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry for the future. Burying the thought for the time being Nuallan refilled his cup. There was drinking to be done and he'd be damned if an Angle would outdrink him.

[TetNak]

Bearnoch's speech is translated to the Britons by Calpurnia. The Angles generally grow quiet as they listen to what Bearnoch says and do not interrupt until she is done. Some seem stunned, some smile, some frown, and the crowd begins to murmur.

Action

Charisma/Negotation: 3d+5 = 19 vs. 14, Success

"I will follow you!" yells a man, "Let us put behind old hatreds and embrace the future!"

Some agree and join in with their support, others remain silent, but no one disents openly.

OOC

I want to do 3 rolls. Each will gain you support or lose it, depending on how good the rolls are. YOu'll need to keep convincing them through RP. Other can join in with speechs of their own that will be translated by Bearnoch or Calpurnia to aid the rolls.

[Wbweather]

Berwyn stands beside his new wife. He looks at the crowd gathered before them and then begins to speak in support of what Bearnoch has just said. He starts out with a voice that is calm but gradually increases in intensity, hoping to inspire his listeners.

"Brothers! I call you all brothers today. Some by blood and now others by marriage. Today begins a new page in the stories of our peoples. Some may yet be wary of such a union. I understand. We are unlikely allies, that is for certain. Yet, we have much in common. Both of our peoples have lost a king to the Wild Hunt, a greater enemy than ever we were to one another. We have since fought side by side, spilled our blood for one another. Why I ask you? Because together, we are stronger than either group alone. We have mingled our blood together on the battlefield as brothers in arms. Now let our blood unite us further as one people born from the ashes of two great lineages. Together we will grow strong. Together we will build a better world for our children and their children. They will inherit the strengths, the qualities, the legacies of two great clans. They will shape the future of Ynys Prydein. Let us no longer be held back by old grievances passed down to us by our fathers, but instead let us build a new world. A world of strength where before there was only weakness. A world of hope where before there was uncertainty. Brothers, let today mark the day the old passed away and the future began anew!"

He is nearly shouting the last cadence of his speech when he finishes and then steps back to see what the response will be.

Action

Discussed this with Tet privately, but so others can see what I'm doing: Berwyn's charisma is not so great. I am going to ask to invoke the gift Leader of Men to add an additional die. I also spent my Legendary Points to add the skill Language (Anglo-Saxon) since I should be able to communicate with my wife and her people (she'd been teaching me). If Tet will allow it, I could use that as a skill here to add to my characteristic roll.

[Olligarchy]

Seated as he is among the celebrants, Amblaïb smirks as Bearnoch rouses the Angles to her cause, and notes the clear effort Berwyn is putting into doing the same. It was not yet time for him to play himself in, but he remains nearby in case their cause needs further propping up or an official 'word' from a King.

[TetNak]

Action

Roll #2

Berwyn: Charisma + Language (Angle) + Leader of Men

2d10 + 1 = 17 vs. 14, Success!

Berwyn mixes in as much Anglo speech as he can. Bearnoch had been teaching him a bit here and there since they had made they way back from Hyllr. For the most part, though, Bearnoch translates. Mostly, it seems everyone is nodding in the crowd, agreeing with what Berwyn has said. It is clear that his speech has prompted many to support Bearnoch, as some cry out and pump their fists in agreement. There's another group that might not have made up their minds.

OOC

One more. This speech needs to come from someone different. Queue Amblaib maybe?

[Muskrat]

OOC

I'm back from my retreat, but still traveling. Plus, my mother's internet is acting funny and doesn't seem to want to let me on, so I'm posting from a public library now. Thus, I will continue to be slower than normal in posting.

Rhedyn is not someone who can make fancy speeches to move people's hearts, but she has spent many years as an adviser to her brother and his court and knows how to persuade people in matters of state. She approaches the well off Angles, who seem unmoved by Bearnoch and Berwyn's words. With Calpurnia translating, she says, "I see you are men of rank and honor. You are doubtless wondering what rank and honor you will have in this new era which your new queen and her groom speak of. Well, I say to you, you will still have the rank and honor you have now if you come with us. Most of your people will come with us. Your queen will still be one of your own people. Why should you be esteemed any less by them? And we Britons will have need of you as well, for we are much reduced in numbers. So you stand to gain honor among a new group of people. But if you choose not to join us, what will become of you? I doubt you can rejoin Calpurnia in her old homeland, for it is not yours. You will be left men of honor, but with no rank, for you will have no one to follow you. If you are wise, you will come with us to seek new honor and glory."

Action

I'm using Eloquence here, and hoping that this uses the Communication (clear explanation of ideas) attribute, which Rhedyn is strong in, not Charisma, which Rhedyn has a 1 in. I also want to use the Wise Soul gift here, if appropriate.

[WalterPeck]

Nuallan leaned over to the unusually quiet Amblaib, "I'm not refined in the way of politics but as /king/ I think this would be a good time to say something."

[Olligarchy]

Glancing at Nuallan, Amblaïb shrugs. Clearly he felt that as a King of another peoples he had no right to be lecturing or demanding things of a people he did not rule, but hearing the words of his aunt whom was in his opinion misreading nobles and landowners if she thought they'd be moved by fear. Fear did not make those with things to lose move, it made them dig their heels in. The upper crust was ever more conservative for they had things to lose.

In order to move them they'd need to be promised something they could not attain here, something tangible.

With the new couple and druidness having spoken his piece, Amblaïb too rises signalling for Nuallan to herald his speech by silencing the room if people were to mumble, before speaking out in favour of the union, his eyes finding that of the nobles and landowners still on the fence.

"Mine kin, both old and new speak well of the glories and fables we may gain soon enough, but let us not be deluded into thinking that we are in this for the sake of a union none of us could foresee only a year ago."

Well none, except possibly Calpurnia, Amblaïb thought ruefully.

"It is the lust for things that motivates us, as it does all men, and I say to you my friends, that on this endeavour the rewards can be great. The lands to our North are sparsely populated and yet rich."

Or so Amblaïb hoped.

"And let it be said that no man nor woman that joins us on this day shall not have his fill of food, wine and lands aplenty that we shall claim from nature or our enemies as we forge this new kingdom, a kingdom of Angles and Britons alike to prosper amongst the weeds that choose to remain in the old way of life."

The very notion almost brought acid to his tongue. Only weeks ago he'd argued his father and brother on the issue of merging tribes for fear of anger from their neighbours and extinquishing of their way of life, but the recent events had forced him to ignore his fears. This was the only way they could survive at all, and he would cease it with all he was to see it made so.

"So join us. Join us in seizing MORE than we hold now, join us in being RICHER than you are now!"

Grabbing his cup, he drains it in one go and tosses it into the nearby hearth as a signal that he is finished.

[TetNak]

The combination of Rhedyn playing on people's fears and Amblaib playing on their greed seems to work. After a few moments of posturing and debating among them one large man among them says something to Bearnoch and Calpurnia.

Calpurnia looks at her daughter and smiles, then turning to the others and says, "They will follow you!" She repeats the statement in their own language, which results and a great cheer that goes up among the Angles.

Action

Rhedyn: Communication + Eloquence = 3d + 4 = 19 vs. 14

Amblaib:

Rhiannon's Gift: 4d + Eloquence = 24 vs. 14, Success

[Olligarchy]

Raising his mug in a toast, Amblaib salutes the Angles and downs his mug.

Of course they were going to follow them. Who else were they going to follow after all? Still... it was going to be interesting trying to keep tabs on who was really in charge: the royal Angle couple or he himself as the Corieltauvi King. A thing that would need to be figured out soon, unless they wished to take a page from early Roman history.