Inquiry into the Affairs at Fort Bugeater

 The Dual-Cities are ablaze with rumors after the most recent expedition of adventurers that have made the cities their home—ablaze with rumors that perhaps the Red Cloud has already been driven back, and his horde of Kzinti defeated!?

It would seem that Fort Bugeater—the fortress that in the last year has threatened the hinterlands of Cothon to the northeast (and most especially Alagadrein)—has been stormed, and its walls manned with the stalwart men-at-arms of General Dalinar's al Khalid household, subsequent to the actions of a select few in gaining a foothold within the fortress. Those few in particular were the Iqtadar Sesel, Hansemann Durham, Fa Min the Newcomer, and Najm the Fishmonger, as has been proudly proclaimed through the taverns already by Sesel in particular—though it is also known that Heijo the Dyer, Fa Mei, Raoden of Bob, Pako the Renegade Renyu, and Demitrytus were also a part of the company who sought to capture Fort Bugeater.

Great rewards had been in the offing for such great deeds, some from houses like al Othmani, others from the Souffets themselves. As the objects of the Othmani rewards were fairly straightforwardly accomplished, these will be paid out in full:

• 5000 dinars offered for the destruction of the contraption blockading the river, and
• 7000 dinars offered for the capture of the watchtower outpost

This comes out to a cut of:

• 1714 dinars per player character (Sesel, Durham, Fa Min, Najm, Heijo)
• 857 dinars and 5 dirhams per retainer (Fa Mei, Raoden, Pako, Demitrytus)

As for the Souffets' proffered rewards, however, the leaders of the cities wish to learn a little more before simply crediting these four with a full hundred and fifty thousand dinars (150,000!).

Iqtadar Sesel; Hansemann Durham; General Dalinar—consider this a summons to court!

Each of the three characters summoned is asked to produce their own testimony before the Souffets in the Court of the Moon, concerning what happened at Fort Bugeater and what has been done since to maintain it for the Cities. This testimony is also a chance for the characters to argue for their right to the reward proffered by the Souffets, perhaps by elucidating any plans they might have for the use of these funds, perhaps especially in the continued operation and maintenance of Fort Bugeater under the Souffets' command.

Essentially, this is a request for an expedition report and will provide 100 xp per level, as usual, but is a chance to provide especial rhetorical flourishes—which may also be appreciated by the Souffets themselves.

The summoned characters may additionally call others for supporting testimony.

Once all reports have been heard, the Souffets will consider all the information that has been provided as to their best path forward in regards to the reward of 150,000 dn to the "conquerors" of Fort Bugeater.

To Become a Hansemann

  In the past, Durham has mentioned to the Scribes potential interest in joining the Hanse as a Hansemann. The Scribes thus present now a rubric under which one might become a member of that august body of traders and seamen, whether Durham takes them up, or they pique the interest of other barbarian-adventurers active in Cothon-Gadeed.

As a brief reminder, the Hanse is a confederation of merchants' guilds, especially northern guilds, who have banded together for mutual protection and better control of prices. They are said to have a "miraculous" ear to the waves about prices and demands in various markets, such that they are able to quickly marshal their resources to make a profit by selling exactly what people need exactly where they need it. In this way, they have come into economic competition with the Ten Cities' League, as well as other such leagues. They have guild-warehouses, called kantors, in many cities all around the coasts of Dirac's Sea, within the precincts of which their members are afforded certain rights and privileges as negotiated by the Hanse with the host city.

First, there are a number of requirements in order to qualify for entrance into the Hanse:

• You must have a sponsor from within the Hanse
• You must declare if you are a citizen of a Hanse city (there are many up north), or if you are a citizen of another city (e.g. Gadeed)
• If you are not a citizen of a Hanse city, you must renounce any citizenship you may hold in any other city, and swear that you will never become a citizen of such cities (again, e.g. Gadeed)
• (specific to Cothon--similar strictures apply in other cities)--you must renounce membership in any Tavern except the Kantor Kabljauhof, and must join the Kantor if not already a member (pay 100 dinars per level if that is the case)
• Declare your profession, wealth, and usefulness to the Hanse; this is mostly to ascertain where one might fit within the organization of the Hanse

Hansemänner have certain obligations and responsibilities, through the performance of which they earn the perks of being a man of the Hanse.

Perks

• Can call on the Company for material assistance; this includes the possibility of taking out a loan of up to 5000 dinars (to be repaid at an interest rate of 3%) for non-officers
• You can call on the Company for transportation or shipping to anywhere within the sphere of the Hanse, within reason
• Special trading options become available to those who are members of the Hanse
• Hansemänner enjoy legal protections in every city where the Hanse has a negotiated presence, which protects them from predation by local courts. Other than in the case of especially heinous crimes, Hansemänner are subject only to the courts of the Hanse

Responsibilities

• Hansemänner must attend Company meetings and give some service to the Hanse. This will be represented by a character spending six downtimes out of every lunar year attending to Hanse duties (these need not be consecutive)
• Likewise, Hansemänner are subject to conscription by the Company during times of extraordinary duress, .e.g. a Hansemann might be called on to serve on a galley during times of pirate raids, or pay wages for someone to stand in their stead.
• Hansemänner are also called to any Diet held by their Kantor; though these council meetings are infrequent, they decided Hanse business, and so are considered especially important. Exceptions for various circumstances are respected.
• Officers and those of higher standing within the Company are expected to perform above and beyond these mere requirements, according to the nature of their office/standing.

To Fete a Souffet

Iqtadar Sesel has spent not a little time in the past year attempting to rub elbows with the movers and shakers of Cothon-Gadeed (specifically Souffet Khusra), especially through the channels of his in-law family, the al Rashids. Though Khusra is now departing office, Sesel’s hobnobbing has not gone unnoticed—and was noticed not in a bad way at all, given the services and heroics Sesel has performed on behalf of the Dual-Cities, especially within the Spire of the Attines and the sea caves of the Ocean’s Throat.

Between his fame and his relationship with Khusra, therefore, it only makes sense that Sesel is already well in view of the incoming Souffets, and so as they enter office, Sesel receives a free single “tick” of “relationship clock” for each, putting Sesel and them at an acquaintance level of relationship.

Advancing the relationship with the one of the most powerful officers of the Ten Cities’ League is no simple thing as can be accomplished with normal relationship-cultivation rules. Rather, something more extensive must be developed to represent the attempt to impress and/or influence the cities’ rulers (whether by flattery, good/shared taste, speaking common sense to cut through flattery, &c), in following with Ben's sketch of a custom clock for pursuing a relationship with the Chatelaine.

As noted earlier in this chronicle, the new Souffets are Bazyadis al Othmani and Urodas al Arasquiy.

(take note that the relationship with each Souffet is tracked separately—one could be cozy with Bayzadis and unknown to Urodas, for instance)

Tick 1 – Standing out from the Crowd

(already achieved for Sesel at this point)

You have already done deeds or feted the notice of a predecessor such that you stand out amongst the crowd of courtiers, flatterers, and hangers-on that constitute the courts of the Souffets of Cothon and Gadeed.

Requirement (for others interested): To roll to see if you even rise to the Souffets’ attention, you must do something grandiose on behalf of the Dual-Cities, for instance, leading an expedition to destroy a major enemy of the city, or putting on an immensely lavish public liturgy, or personally paying for the maintenance of a number of soldiers for the walls, or some such ostentatious display.

Tick 2 – A Constant Presence

You may have been noticed, but in the hubbub of the court it takes more than that to be selected as a favorite of a Souffet. So many people are clamoring for their attention all the time; and so many courtiers become disenchanted with the constant coming- and going of the courts so that they disappear or pursue less lofty personages. But you have remained constant, a face that the Souffet can pick out of the crowd and who may yet serve as trustworthy.

Requirement: to roll for this level, you must spend one downtime out of each of six months attending the court of the Souffet. After the sixth such month, you can begin rolling (once per month) to attempt to advance the relationship by spending a downtime at court.

• You are recognized as a regular at court. Your name is known to the Bani (for good or ill)
• When interacting with lower level functionaries or officers, you may attempt to overawe them by name-dropping other courtiers

Tick 3 – Proving Yourself Useful

Be it a grand deed in service of the Dual-Cities, or simply passing on a choice and unique piece of gossip in the midst of the chatter at court, you have shown yourself personally useful to one of the Souffets. They may seek you out specifically for certain tasks, be they official or discrete (depending on your proclivities).

Requirement: to roll for this level of relationship, you must have performed some deed either publicly in service to Cothon or Gadeed, or privately for one of the Souffets directly.

• Having noted your usefulness, the Souffet will occasionally offer specific missions to fulfil their own goals, to be suitably rewarded
• Others in court will recognize your new relationship with the Souffet; though at least one will certainly become a Rival, there will no doubt be some potential Ally hoping to sway the Souffet to their cause by association with you

Tick 4 – Friend of the Cities

"Friend" is not always a word denoting a mere social nicety. "Friend" can also be a title ascribed to someone of high esteem to a king, Souffet, or other such office. It denotes a certain amount of trust, as well as responsibilities to those who bestow the title. Through your deeds and attentiveness, you have now been selected to be awarded this title, "Friend of the City" by the Souffet you have aided.

Requirement: You may roll once per month for this advancement by spending a downtime at court.

• A Friend of the City receives a special ring with the seal of Gadeed. They are technically an officer in the court of the Souffet, though their duties and responsibilities are extraordinary--subject to the whim of the Souffet. This office is re-invested or rescinded at the time of the Lunar New Year.
• Friends have some access to the city treasury and armory. They can take out a loan of up to 10,000 dinars (repayable at 1%) without oversight, or take higher loans with approval. This is intended to assist them in performing duties assigned by the Souffets, and misuse of this privilege is a major crime.
• Beyond the ability to take out such loans, Friends of the City receive a minor stipend of 1d6x100 dinars monthly to be spent as they see fit (the amount is rolled once, and is fixed to that character, barring future changes at investiture feasts or so forth)
• A Friend must attend court at least once every three months (by spending a downtime). They may hear juicy gossip or partake in serious decisions while present.

Tick 5 –  A Trusted Confidant

Though Friends are presumed to be trusted, only certain among them are really trusted with a Souffet's worries or considerations. Having proved yourself, you are now among this "elite"--and not only are you willing to listen to the Souffet's concerns, but they are also willing to hear your mind on things of import to the city, and to the league at large. Nay, they seek your opinion out!

Requirement: You must prove that you understand what must be kept in confidence, versus what, though told in confidence, is actually meant to be noised about. This will be enacted in a series of rumors provided by the referee to the player-character. What they do with the rumors will be up to the character, and determine whether they can become trusted confidants. A roll will still be required.

• You have the Souffet's highest trust. If you have the will and can put forth persuasive arguments, you can affect the policy of Cothon-Gadeed and the Ten Cities in general.
• Pursuant to that, you will have access to information about the broader circumstances facing Cothon-Gadeed and the League.
• You will receive a personal gift from the Souffet, of uncertain but definitely high value, as a sign of their esteem. This will be publicly done, and the demonstration of that gift can be quite persuasive to those who respect the authority of the Souffets
• As a confidant of the court, you must attend court once every month while you are in the city (certain missions, quests, &c. might reasonably take one away from the city, perhaps for some time, and in such a case this requirement is relaxed). These downtimes can be combined with other downtimes (e.g. cultivating relationships with other courtiers, or building institution through connections, or intel-gathering, &c.) though such combinations must be credibly explained.

Complications

1. You have aroused the envy of the court. You gain an additional Rival who will snipe at you with evil gossip at every chance they get (they increase the difficulty of subsequent rolls to cultivate a relationship by imposing a -1 penalty on the 2d6 roll).
2. The Souffet has decided that you are the right person for a mission as a special envoy to a difficult group. This may be something as exotic as dealing with the Attine Klackons, to something as prosaic (and frustrating) as listening to the complaints of the Guild of Longshoremen. You must complete this mission in a reasonable timeframe or suffer the reduction of one level of relationship.
3. Your presentation at court is unacceptable, be it your manners or your wardrobe. You are requested by the Souffet to attend etiquette lessons, purchase a new wardrobe, or otherwise better yourself for presence in the court by spending 4d6x100 dinars and 1d3 downtime actions.
4. The attention bestowed upon you by the Souffet has brought you also to the attention of a third party who now sees you as an avenue into the Souffet's good graces, thence to advance their own interests. They might attempt to blackmail you, bribe you, or otherwise attempt to ensure their own interests.
5. The Souffet invites you to a private liturgy of the cult they personally follow. This may be as innocuous as the sacrifice of a hma and subsequent feast, or some secretive rite of a mystery cult involving strange rites. You will be sworn to secrecy regardless, but the particulars of the liturgy may be beyond the pale of what you can accept.
6. A Rival at court has noticed you in particular and now blackballs you among the Bani and Guilds of Cothon-Gadeed as much as they can. Any attempts to further "build an institution" incur an additional cost of 2d10x100 dinars in red-tape and bureaucratic fees until the situation is somehow rectified.
7. Being known as a favorite of (or even one noticed by) a Souffet can entail unfortunate attention. In this case, a humble petitioner has latched onto you as the means of getting their case heard by one of the two chief judges of Cothon-Gadeed. However mundane the request may be, this individual will hound you until some decision is made--and perhaps even after, when seeking an appeal.
8. Reroll on the table above, or a some other circumstance has arisen in which the Referee will take a personal hand to develop.

The Miat have Spoken

 As the year Khusra-Fadhlan 3 ends, year Urodas-Bayzadis 1 begins.

All hail the new Souffets, Urodas al Arasqiy and Bayzadis al Othmani!

Though the people clamored for Dalinar al Khalid, the bani of Gadeed were still wary of what the general would do if he wielded the power of the state in conjunction with the adoration of the people and the soldiers of the cities. Instead, they turned to Bayzadis, an aridani woman of Banu al Othmani—for the Othmani have had recent successes against the Red Cloud and his hordes, in the hiring of certain barbarian adventurers to be thorns in the paw of that villainous Kzin warlord. And so the bani hoped to assuage the people, in that, though they did not get Dalinar as Souffet, they did get one whose house has been prosecuting the conflict with the Red Cloud even as Dalinar would.

Meanwhile, the bani also voted for Urodas al Arasquiy to succeed Khusra of the same house, swayed at least somewhat by the influence of Banu al Rashid. The Arasquiy are a notable merchant clan, who compete broadly with the Hanse across Dirac’s Sea, so it will be interesting to see how things develop when the Hanseatic campaign against the pirates resumes in the east after winter's end. Meanwhile, Urodas will most likely see to domestic and trading affairs, while Bayzadis marshals the forces of Cothon and Gadeed against the Kzinti threat.

The Feast of Investiture

With the closing of the lunar year and the beginning anew, it is at the Feast of Investiture that the seals of office for the Souffets are transferred from those outgoing to those incoming. After the feasting, the new Souffets would then receive oaths from those currently in lesser office, and either affirm them by reinvesting them with their authority, or take back their office, so that another might be invested in their place.

The great feasting in the palace of the Souffets in Gadeed had more solemnity this year than in years previous, given the looming threat of the Red Cloud. Though nevertheless a grand affair and wondrous spectacle—into the court were brought whole roasted hma, sewn back into their skins, and dejejas stuffed with dates or plums, pickled smelts and ninenyelu, small gilekites steamed in wine, all delivered on silver and gilt platters—there was a seriousness in the air that subdued the merrymaking that young wine usually engenders.

At this feast as well, Chir'dirine the Princess of the Xolda Klackons, who share Cothon with humans, was a prominent guest with her entourage of pale-carapaced dores and gilt-carapaced sister- and cousiness-courtiers. Her own carapace oiled and perfumed and darkly gleaming, she watched the rites of investiture with great interest, and presented herself to both pairs, of departing and of incoming Souffets. In this, she is not really partaking in any ritual of fealty, but presenting herself as an equal to reaffirm the ancient alliance between the men of the Dual-Cities and the Xolda Klackons who dwell amongst them.

Urodas and Bayzadis recited the ancient oaths to the Dual-Cities and the Ten Cities' League, and thence received the chains and seals of their office from their predecessors. So then did they in turn receive the oaths of the chiefs of the bani-tribes and other officers of the state, and give unto them their offices. Not all who were in office retained their office, however, for it is the prerogative of new Souffets to install to their courts their own loyal followers.

And there are other offices to be filled by election or lot, thence to receive their authority from the hands and the seal of the Souffets. Some of these posts are to be held by those of noble birth (such as the Adirim, Council of the Mighty), but there are many offices of the state and the league that are held by ordinary citizens.

For Sesel

Who as a citizen is eligible for certain offices, by election or by lot. Sesel should roll d100 and consult the table below to see if he is called to any civil office for the next year:

1 - called to serve as one of the Thalatheen (a panel of judges)
2-3 - called to serve on the Bem (the popular assembly)
4-10 – no office
11 - Katib to the Harbor
12 - Katib to the Knights Pylaea
13 - Katib to the Censors
14 - Katib to the Poor Brothers
15 - Katib to the Migdol of the Dyers
16-29 - no office
30 - Katib to the Court of the Moon
31 - Katib to the Court of the Mount
32 - Katib to the Souffets
34 - Katib to the Armory
35-49 - no office
50-51 - Hamladdir to the Mahanet (General)
52-63 - no office
64-70 - called to serve the army
71-92 - no office
93 - Katib to Alagadrein
94 - Katib to al Zaytun
95-98 - envoy to the Xolda Princess
99-00 - envoy to the Attine Spire

Thalatheen – the Thirty
A panel of thirty judges who review the conduct of civil and military officers. A citizen selected for this office should roll 1d6 at the beginning of each month; a 1 indicates a review is afoot, details to be generated by the referee

Bem – the Popular Assembly
The Bem is responsible for voting on certain proposals of the Souffets. If the Bem is summoned, the player-character must spend their downtime for that week attending the assembly to listen to debate and vote on the proposal

Katib – Scribe
A minor official assigned to a variety of offices to assist operations. Very much like the quaestors of ancient Rome, the Kataba's chief function is as auditors and assistants. A player-character performing such duties must spend one downtime per month attending to said duties; on the upside, this will entail some familiarity with the officer they are assigned to, and to the arena they are engaged in

Hamladdir – Shieldbearer
No longer literally the shieldbearers/bodyguards of the Mahanet (General), this is a junior military officer who acts as an aide de camp or sometimes a quartermaster. A player-character chosen for this office must either attend the Mahanet in person, or supply a person of character and skill in their stead (e.g. a son, a trusted servant, or perhaps a cousin, &c.). While the Mahanet is in the city it requires only one downtime per month to fulfill this duty, but if the Mahanet marches forth, then his Hamladdir must perforce go wither he goes

Army Service
A player-character called to serve the army as a citizen must supply armsmen to the army according to his rank and wealth. This does not necessarily mean personally serving (many nobles outfit their own Gilmani or men-at-arms to serve), though citizens of lesser means are expected to outfit themselves with arms and serve in the heavy infantry.
An iqtadar of a smaller holding might be expected to send a heavily armed infantryman and his shieldbearer, plus ten archers/skirmishers, and a slave or servant or two to serve their camp.

Envoy to Klackons
An unusual post, but Sesel's reputation precedes him enough that he is in consideration. He helped spearhead the crusade against the creatures haunting the Sixth House in the Spire of the Attines, after all. This post would entail service similar to that as a Kitab, although with the additional responsibility to act as a liaison between Souffets and Klackons under extraordinary circumstances (details to be determined by the referee)

The Voice of the Miat

Have you ever tried to parse a foreign constitution? It's tough ...

Barbarians in the Dual-Cities of Cothon-Gadeed have the advantage that they can talk to actual citizens in the government of the Dual-Cities ... and yet, such citizens, who may vote for or against important measures or for/against the election of officers of the state may also not really understand what they do ...

What's easy enough to explain, though, is that the current two Souffets (Fadhlan and Khusra) will relinquish their office this November, while two others elected in the meantime will take their place. The Souffets are elected--so is this state democratic? It's a democracy of citizens (of Gadeed) ... mediated through the Miat--the Electors of Hundreds.

Officially, for all the barbarians running around in Cothon, only one has recently come into citizenship such that he can vote: Citizen Sesel. Unless another barbarian-adventurer advances to citizen in the next four months, Sesel will be the only one eligible to vote. But this is not to say that barbarians, denizens, and other plebeians have no voice in these affairs.

Indeed, the time for public debates has come.

The Souffets have the privilege of naming their preferred heirs ...

Meanwhile, the Bani-tribes are free to present their own candidates for the Souffet-ship, for those Houses that differ with the opinions of the current Souffets.

Finally, even the people of Gadeed are free to nominate their own choices for Souffet. Traditionally, of course, the people tend to align with one party or another--either the current Souffets, or the party of the Bani--but they are legally able to present their own candidates separate from either "ticket". The tradition of this tendency lies mostly in the fact that the people must support one or the other noble party, because their own candidates only very rarely win to office.

A Kzin bureaucrat? LOL

Candidates

1. Othman al Goekiy
   nominated by sitting Souffet Fadhlan
   leader of a Banu-tribe (al Goekiy) with a large garrison of Gilman servant-warriors; outward-looking, with ideals to expand the territory of the Ten Cities League across the seas
2. Urodas al Arasquiy
   nominated by sitting Souffet Khusra al Arasquiy
   scion of Banu al Arasquiy, a house/tribe with wide ranging trade relations, especially across Dirac's Sea; anti-Hanse in particular
3. Bayzadis al Othmani
   nominated by the Bani (not related to Othman except by long degrees)
   an aridani from Banu Othmani. Her aridani (independent) status marks her as "politically free", while her descent from the Othmani gives her voice weight with the Knights Pylaea who guard the Long Walls; the Bani feel that this mix of obligations make her ideal for defending the Cities against the Red Cloud and his threats ...
4. Dalinar al Khalid
   nominated by the People
   Abuakbar of a major Banu, former general of armies, recalled from his post because of political machinations, Dalinar is at once a commander well-seasoned in battle against the Kzinti (and the threat of the Red Cloud!) and yet poorly positioned for the politics of the Dual-Cities. The very fact that the populace clamor for him as Souffet is sufficient to condemn him from such office for those (nobles especially) who fear that he will effect a tyranny ...

Is it Dalinar, or the Souffets
who are so ineffectual?

Through the next three months (August, September, October), anyone is allowed to speak for or against these candidates. In November only citizens will be allowed to voice their final opinions. At the end of November, the electors of the Miat will cast their votes, and two new Souffets will be elected according to the votes of the Miat.

It is customary for rabble-rousers to hold feasts and stump-speeches to support their preferred candidates during this time. Though only citizens can vote--and then only electors of the Mia actually finalize such votes--it is still the case that many Bani-tribes gauge the political weathervanes according to the stump-popularity of various candidates among the barbarians and low-class citizens of Cothon.

Player-characters should feel free to investigate these candidates, speak for or against them, and even attempt to persuade Bani-tribes toward other candidates, as far as the player-characters wish to engage! Write stump speeches--whip up mob frenzies--hold feasts and only feed those who agree with you--do your best to become the Political Machine if that's what you want to do! You've got three months to play that game ...