Turn 1

Moltke
With the still recent loss of Eboracum, House Moltke's largest source of income, the old mountain road will have to be reopened. The road has suffered from several centuries of neglect, with the House's trade focus moving away from Dumnon. The road had become infested by bandits calling themselves the Mountain Hounds. Any traders wishing to pass along the road were either extorted by the bandits or by thugs claiming to be mercenaries.

In its current state the road is not fit for the mobilization of Knights, and so Lord Lurhan gave the honour of clearing the bandit filth to Castellan Albert Roon, commander of the household infantry brigade. With the two Armiger squadrons mobilized in support, the campaign began with a concerted strike on the Hound camp, with the aim of scatterijng them to the winds. Though the target was secured with little resistance, much of the scum escaped into the surrounding wilderness. While not the deathblow Roon had anticipated, it is believed that when coupled with more substantial patrols the road may attract more trade with (vassals of the Duchy of Halabaum and Eastern Duchy). Given the limited access over much of the Spine of Gleinn, with sufficent time and resources the rechristened Muiden Way could become a major artery for cross duchy trade (and more likely, war).

Broadsby
It has long been in Todrick’s design to tax river traffic travelling through Aberchipping and after amassing resources over several years, Todrick finally became impatient enough to complete the project. However the construction and manning of the river gate has taken it’s own toll on the city; Todrick has spent his best men attending the gate to enforce the toll, resulting in a slow rise in crime this past month. Despite the House’s usual cautions to outsiders, the Broadsbys celebrate the much expected return of the Holkens, distant cousins to the Broadsby house. Gossip within the house suggests the Holkens are merely looking to profit of the new wealth provided by the gate, but the sheer volume of people who have settled in Aberchipping employed or aligned with the estranged Holks, mean that Todrick is hesitant to resist the increased population and the positive impact that they will have on the house.

Cromis
At the beginning of the month, Irina Cromis sets forth from Uricon, crosses the Hie and travels north with her entourage through Broadsby lands. Doling Ster is forewarned of their arrival, and they stay for a night  before pressing on with fresh supplies. After 10 days of travel, Irina dismounts from Vorpal in front of Aber Tower and bows to Lord Todrick Broadsby.

Todrick welcomes Irina to dine with him and catch him up on news from the coast.

Over dinner Irina shares gossip from Uricon and news from the ships in port. As the courses progress the discussion moves to business matters.

The reason for Irina's visit is essentially financial. The river gate at Aberchipping is a manifestation of House Broadsby's rising importance. Irina has come to pay respects to the Broadsby's as equals of her own house, and to offer a financial treaty: reduced tolls at the river gate for Cromis' people in return for privileges and tax cuts for Broadsby's at the port in Uricon. "I won't bore you with the details" she says, passing Todrick a scroll, "but I daresay your accountants will find it most agreeable"

Todrick casts a critical eye over the papers, but knows from experience that he can trust his advisors to tell if this is a fair trade. "If all is as you say, I would be happy to corporate with your father on this treaty. I do hope your lord Tegeus is well. You were half your height when I last saw you, so I was surprised to hear it was you I'd be hosting" His voice curls up at the end making his statement a question.

"My father is hale and hearty yet" Irina smiles, "He has no plans yet to give up the Throne of the Repugnant. But since I turned 20 he has delegated some matters to me, and as a pilot I am able to deal with other peers of the realm, so now I act as regent in many things. I think he hopes I will not succeed him unprepared, as he did his father."

"Excellent" Todrick nods, "Yes, my dear, you seem quite capable of handling yourself at any rate! I appreciate you making the trip: I'm well aware it is a long way to come for matters that could be solved by letter, but I respect the formality of it. If this is all we would speak of, we could take an amble along the river? I'm sure it's much changed since you last saw it."

By the river, they walk apart from their courtiers, and Irina brings up a different subject.

"As a pilot and noble, I do more than just carry my father's letters" she confides, "and I have designs of my own." She describes to Todrick a plan she has formed to begin House Cromis' renaissance.

"Border disputes have gone against us in the past, despite the two knights our House possesses. Such disputes favour the aggressor because the defender must guard all points, and a focused push can overwhelm the defence at a single point. As you know, it usually wise for the defender to give ground and plot revenge than risk losing a knight, and yet such wisdom has left my House with more knights than towns."

"My desire is that in my lifetime we shall take back the lands my house has lost, and with your help I would begin it. The prototype would be in Fennelin, and while I can challenge the defence there on my own, I would much prefer a bloodless conflict won by show of force."

"My plan is to offer a combat with my own modest force, supported by the firepower of your own honourable Claymore from across the Hie. You would of course be in no danger: the plan rests on the impact your presence and flanking fire would have on their morale, and I expect they will not dare to turn towards you while the Vorpal is charging. I shall be the anvil, and you the hammer."

"You've been thinking on this a while" Todrick states simply, not meeting Irina's eye. "It's bold. Not something that strikes me with your father's signature. You must be quite the budding diplomat to convince steady Tegeus to engage in such a push"

"I hope that our victory will be the first he hears of it" Irina says, half ashamed, "my father is perhaps too careful about an untried approach, and I would rather he judges the move in the light of its success" She blushes, then adds "I am not yet Lady of Uricon, but I am a pilot in my own right, and I would deal with you as two peers of the realm. In return, I can offer you my support as a fellow pilot, and my friendship as heir to Cromis"

Todrick smiles, "In the interest of clarity: am I right in thinking that should I agree to support you in your endevour, you would in turn support House Broadsby in its own conquests or disputes as an independent Knight?  And that I should shield all communication of this plan from your father? Of course, you can consent to a formal acknowledgment of this agreement?” he pulls a pen from his pocket and waving it referentially.

Irina nods, and the evening concludes with a second contract. The next morning, Irina and her companions begin the journey home.

Morantor
“By the Saints, I am exhausted. I wish I could“ Therese was interrupted by a cough, catching herself against a soot-covered wall, trying her best not to stain her red-blue (or “azure and argent“, as their lordships would call it) dress.

“Are you alright love?” Marie was instantly by her side, trying her best to support the larger woman and taking the basket holding vials of carefully-selected fish oils for the visiting Mechanicus delegation.

“Just fine. Looking forward to holding these for a few more hours without a chance to down. Just wish we had gotten a break between the last banquet and this one, is all.”

A few minutes later, she was back on her feet, and the two artisans were swiftly on their way. Usually, they'd have to be careful to avoid the dark corners Gildholdt at this late hour, but right now the whole city shone like a lumox beacon. Neither wanted to imagine the expense for all the natural gas that had to be burned for this, never mind keeping up the expense for all the time the delegation was visiting.

Marie still nearly dropped her own basket when they ran into a patrol that strode through the street on unknown machines. “For feths sake. How I wish we could afford more porters”.

Therese nodded in agreement. “How would we? Everyone who's just good for that is getting hired for that new fleet of their Lordships. Still don't see what we'd need that for. More guards, that we could use, but no they'd rather pay expensive coin for foreigners to bring their own. Saints, I wish the rich had sense with their thrones.

“Hey, at least that got Thomas a job. That boy never had a sense of direction, didn't he? Not much good as a porter, but at least he can't get lost on a ship.”

“That's true. And I don't mind more guards, no matter how they're paid for. Saints know we need them, always too much scum being swept into the city from upriver as my mum says. Though I still say it's her own fault she got stabbed, those people were perfectly reasonable about her gambling debts.”

Marie nudged Therese in the side. “Therese, I'll never understand how you can say that about your old mother. And I've met the woman more times than I've had liked. But come on, we've almost made it”.

Before them lay the great harbour of Gildholdt, with two towering Imperial Knights and a dozen Armigers arrayed to greet a fleet of ships in the red and black of the Adeptus Mechanicus. If they could have seen it all at once, the two women might have paused, but instead they just hurried along to drop off their goods, hoping that the other deliveries they had sent would also arrive on time.