Matheld/Interactions

This is the list of interactions with Matheld. Contents 1 Introduction 2 Reencounter 3 Retirement 4 Rehire 5 Gathering Information 6 Right to Rule 7 Awarding a Fief 8 Story: Fearichen 9 Story Recap 10 Like Quotes 10.1 Nizar 11 Dislike Quotes 11.1 Jeremus (Map Dislike) 11.2 Ymira (Battle Dislike) 11.3 Right to Rule Objection: Firentis 11.4 Retreating 12 As an Enemy Introduction[] What do you want? Merely to pass the time of day, ma'am, if you're not otherwise engaged. Ah. Well, if you must know, I shall tell you." "I am from an old family in the northern lands, the daughter of a thane and also wife to one. I fought by my husband's side, his partner both in war and in peace. But my husband died of the plague, when I was still childless. My husband had decreed that I should inherit his lands, in the absence of an heir. My brother-in-law, cursed be his name, said that it was not our custom that women could inherit a thanedom. That was nonsense, but his gold bought the loyalties of enough of my husband's faithless servants for him to install himself in my hall. So I fled, something I was raised never to do, and something I hope never to do again." "When I have enough gold to raise an army I shall go back and take what it is mine. I can offer you opportunities to make money through good honest fighting and pillaging. Can you? I shall accept your offer. I shall be pleased to fight in your shield wall. But I warn you -- of you ask me to gather the firewood, or cook a meal, you will not like the consequences. No fear, ma'am. You're the widow and the daughter of a thane, and you'll be treated as such. Then I will fight your enemies for you. But first I want a bounty of 500 denars. If you are a worthy captain who can lead his company to riches and plunder, you should have no trouble paying. I cannot afford to follow a pauper. Oh, I am no pauper, madame. Here's 500 denars for you. Good! Give me a few moments to prepare and I'll be ready to move. Sorry. I can't afford that at the moment. Ah. Actually, if you don't do whatever I order you to do, you'd best seek your fortune elsewhere. (Decline) Your brother-in-law was right -- women should not rule. Go back home and tend your hearth. (Decline) Nothing at all, from one so clearly disinclined to pleasantries. Good day to you. (Decline) Reencounter[] I am still seeking a war leader in whose shield wall I would fight. But I need gold, and fast, and the lords of this land as often as not prefer to stay behind the walls of their fortresses, rather march out to where glory and riches can be won. Retirement[] I have fought in your shield wall, and done well by it. But your leadership is not always to my liking, and anyways I have another task. I will take what plunder I have won and raise a warband of my own and sail to Nordland to take back my husband's hall from my treacherous brother-in-law. I wish you well. Rehire[] Greetings to you, (player). I was wondering if the harsh words spoken between us in the past could be forgotten. I have been hunting among the Nords here, to see if I could find enough men to take back my husband's hall. But I could not find enough men to crew a longship, and those whom I gathered quickly got bored and wandered off -- not, I will add, before they drank away such gold as I had accumulated. So I thought back to the battles we fought together. Those were good days, and profitable ones too. Gathering Information[] If you have any interest in the events in the (faction), a former shield-companion of mine retired and now keeps a farm near Wercheg. He keeps in contact with a number of other old warriors. I could visit him for a few days, and learn more about what is going on there. Right to Rule[] The saga of Bjernstad tells us that a man who does great deeds, beyond those of the other men of his time, may claim the throne. I'd say that you could make that claim. I would -- on one condition. You'd be king in Praven or Sargoth or whatever you want to rule, but I'd rule my own hall. And if I had a dispute with any other of your thegns, be it over land, livestock, or blood, you let us settle it sword to sword, according to the old ways, and let the heavens decide who is in the right. Good! Then give me a few weeks and I'll go about the courts of this land, letting it be known that you're a king who respects the thegns and their ancient rights. You won't go sticking your royal nose where it doesn't belong and Calradia will be the better for it. Awarding a Fief[] You'd make me a thegn? Well, I suppose that I can postpone reclaiming my inheritance for a little while longer, and make my great hall at (fief). Some day, I may travel over the seas to take back what is mine, but until then, I would be pleased to raise a band of battle-hardened Nords to fight under your banner. Story: Fearichen[] Hmf. Do you hear that? It must be the crash of waves on the headland. We must be near Gundig's Point. You haven't heard the story? When Gundig Hairy-Breeks came to Calradia from Nordland, he planted his banner on the headland and said that it would remain there until he recaptured his 'inheritance'. His 'inheritance', he called it. Gundig believed the skalds who told him that the Emperor had bequeathed Calradia to the Nords, when in fact he just gave us a small strip of land along the coast, so that we would crew his galleys. The skalds' tales at least give Gundig an excuse to raise a warband -- not that we Nords ever need an excuse, min. He sailed across the sea, rallied the Calradian Nords to his banner, and marched on the Rock of Rivacheg. The Vaegirs killed him, and threw his banner into the surf. But the Nords keep coming and some day all of Calradia will be ours. Story Recap[] I was born overseas, in Nordland, and my husband's hall also was in Nordland. Like Quotes[] Nizar[] A fine battle that was, captain. And I have to say, I admire the taunts that Nizar hurled at our enemy. He managed to include their geneology [sic], their appearance, and their eating habits in a well-framed Old Calradic quatrain. I personally prefer the saga, but we Nords respect poetic craftwork when we hear it. Dislike Quotes[] Jeremus (Map Dislike)[] Just so you know, I cannot abide that insolent mountebank Jeremus. Some minutes ago, I was remarking to our companions how the peasants of this region were more than usually slack-jawed and beetle-browed, and speculated that perhaps they had bred with apes. Jeremus, that font of impudence, overheard me, and called me ignorant, and a savage, and other words I do not care to repeat. It was only out of respect for you that I refrained from cutting his throat then and there. I thought it only fit that I should warn you. Ymira (Battle Dislike)[] Captain, Ymira is a most insolent girl. I have tried to be polite, even friendly, only to have her rebuff me. As we were cleaning our weapons after that last battle, I remarked that I thought her a handsome girl, and after I regained my lands I would happily find her a match with one of my warriors. I thought it was a very generous offer, as a woman disinherited by her father is hardly going to find herself awash in prospects. But rather than thank me, she simply turned her back without a word. It was only out of respect for your leadership that I did not immediately try to teach her some manners. Right to Rule Objection: Firentis[] Captain -- you have dispatched Firentis to tell the lords of this land that you intend to impose a peace, under which no one should settle their disputes by the sword. Would you have us all die in our beds, then? That is a great shame, for my people. A king's duty is to led us into battle, not to tell us how to handle our quarrels and differences. Retreating[] I was not pleased that you decided to run from battle. To fall in battle is an honour, but to fight in a warband led by a coward is a disgrace. As an Enemy[] So we now we meet as enemies, and may shortly face each other over the rims of our shields. A grim day this is. Sometimes, the spinners of our fate have a dark sense of humor.