Part 78: Earth Season

We are in nearly unanimous agreement that we want to give them our adorable kittens. Seriously, look at those things. Who could turn down kittens like this?

That's right. Our kittens were so cute that they did the ritual for free. (The other response to offering kittens is the cultists going "sorry, but your kittens suck. Try again with another form of payment." So there's literally no downside to offering them kittens whenever they show up.)


Now let's go murder some Vostangi!




This is why it's nice to go with a somewhat smaller raiding force if you're not sure you'll completely dominate the enemy - you'll often slip past their patrols, so you're not facing the full fyrd. Anyway, our objectives are smashing into them and taking their stuff. No magic used since it's more important to have that for the heroquest later this year(and we did spend 2 in War at the start of the year!).


Events like this pop up sometimes during raiding. The best option often depends on the involved noble's Combat skill. Beneva's Combat is only Very Good, so we can't really depend on her to be a hero. She's not a coward either, so I have her rejoin our forces ASAP.


Horray.


I'm blaming Beneva for this.




It's Earth season, and the clan mood's almost completely recovered from our bad year. The weaponthanes aren't feeling so hot about our inability to raid well, though.


I send Gordangar off to explore the Quivin Mountains. Who knows what he'll find there?




The weaponthanes, led by Brandig, complain that you have been favoring the lowly carls over them. "We are not being treated as honorable nobles," they protest, "but like mere cottars, as servants of the farmer's whims. We warriors look enviously at other clans; if a man risks his life for him, he can expect his proper due."

-Assign cottars as servants to leading weaponthanes.
-Compose a poem praising the weaponthanes and satirizing the carls.
-Distribute rings and silver among the weaponthanes.
-Give a feast in honor of the weaponthanes.
-Persuade them that their grievances are exaggerated.

Humor and respect are the best remedy for this grumbling illness.

King Heort laid down that those who risk their lives for the clan are its nobility, and deserve to be recognized as such.

Shaming them might work, but if it fails, they will be even more upset than before. Persuading them is less risky.

I have to admit the carls have been a wee prideful as of late, and at the weaponthanes' expense.

It is better to give a feast than to simply gift the weaponthanes. The carls can share in the feast, and will not be slighted.

Violence was first invented by greed, then refined by revenge, anger, and hatred.