Mercenaries Needed For Diplomatic Challenges, Brief for the May 1500 Overland Options

[Onasuma]

Good Afternoon Mercenaries,

I write as Inquisitorial Gaius to request your hire on a matter of primal stability.

Another plane has made a claim upon some of the strength intrinsic to Primus. Not normally an issue, we have a dozen such attempts a year, but this one comes with a complication. The nature of the realm, known as Traumaed, is woven from challenge and reward. It bears the monkier "The Realm of Rites and Roles". It seems to fall most immediately in line with what I would consider fae magic, but is of its own twisted nature.

Simply put, it seems that the strength that has been stolen has not been granted to them, as in order to claim a bounty of this nature, they must win it from us. Unfortunately, the laws of the exostance mean that failure to play, or to break the rules of the contest default victory to the invader. To my best knowledge, there is no way around this - even the destruction of their plane (something I vehemently oppose even in this situation) will simply destroy the power rather than return it.

The Inquisition is therefore looking to hire a large number of Mercenaries to meet the challenges placed before us. It is essential that those gathered are able to follow the rules required to not cost us this challenge by default. If you are unable to follow these rules, please do not attend this hire:

- Respect the hospitality of the representatives of Traumaed.
- Do not lie (within the context of the games)
- Play the role you are given (or that you take)

The games will be "cosmically" fair - the nature of their plane means they cannot be otherwise. Their representatives will be bound to the same rules as all of you.

The hire is simple. Go to this challenge, and meet it with the strength of Primus behind you. Claim back what is ours.

You will have some weeks to prepare. If you wish to, I would encourage you to practice your best formalities, polish your nicest shoes and consider a gift for the hosts. I do not know if that will help, but I do think if we can beat them in hospitality - the one thing they supposedly do best - we must be off to a good start.

This is an Inquisitorial Hire and payment will be supplemented appropriately.

Arnold Winterhaven
Imperial Gaius

[Whybover]

Thank you for that wonderful sunmary, Gaius.

The challenge will take place 5 days from now; perhaps the weekend was not auspicious for them. We will give the shortest of briefs possible, as we understand the hosts, protected by their enforced hospitality, will do more of that than we can.

Scrying has discovered that there may be Roles provided, but that no-one should feel obliged to play one. They may help as well as hinder, they are going to be offered as a boon with downsides, but the downsides may have ramifications beyond those who take them; the hosts will be offering them because they want you to fail on your own merits. Likewise, if you think you can play a role without downside, the power is likely to be helpful.

Best of luck to all of you, and please do not make a mess of things by seeing red at the first opportunity, we've vetted out several of the more potent mercenaries because of what they would have been going to do I the first five minutes on a new plane,

Arthur. Seer.

[Edd]

Right, I'm hopin' to come and give yeh a hand. Could someone check it ain't a realm full o' necromancers? If it is, I'm gonna struggle as we're 'not allowed to suffer a necromancer to live' and all that. If we turn up and they're like 'hi, let us introduce the tortured souls we've just dragged from their rightful, peaceful rest and forced into this rotting body' I'm gonna be 'seein' red' quite quickly.

Otherwise, I can be civil and all that. Will even wear my posh rags.

Aurelious
of Gothiel

[Orlock]

I look forward to assisting with this Sir and to making new friends... undead or otherwise...

Wanders off to the shops of Halgar to look at suitable gifts...

Trantor Fitzroy
Undefeated Knight
Soldier of Halgar
Cavalier Champion