THE HORSE

How do we find it? I no some peeple here can speek with animals.

--Chet

And what do you plan on doing with the horse once you find it?

~Khala

Thought it was cleer, but maybe not for some of us. Peeple can speek with it and ask kwestshins about what happinned,

--Chet

The Count is obviously quite crafty.
I am sure he has already found someone to attempt this.
He had years to do it.

-Keola

I don’t give a damn what the Count’s done, I want to know what happened...from the horse’s mouth. Let’s find this damnable beast and bring it in for questioning, assuming it still lives.

-Ferrian

He also had years to tell us the noos but look what hapind there.

--Chet

I hope you would all realize, that just because you can speak to the horse, does not make it intelligent enough to actually hold a meaningful conversation with you... You are assuming that this horse even remembers what happened. Just because there are those of us who can speak with animals, does not mean they are smart enough to say anything meaningful.

Just some food for thought for any of those, actually interested in this course of action.

Speaking as an extremely good hunter and tracker(other people’s words not mine), it is hard to follow tracks past a month or two, let alone 3 years.

Investigating yields slightly better results but even most people have a hard time remembering details past a year.

We should use our resources to find candidates for king, not to find a horse that might remember events from 3 years ago(if we find it at all) when it wouldn’t change what happened.

Chet,
To your comment about the Count waiting to tell us, this news will have ramifications across all of Arawyn. He made the safety of the kingdom his top priority. Keeping this secret was part of it. He needed to while bolstering Kormyre so it didn’t fall to ruin. Whether you agree with his decision or not, what’s done is done. We know now. That’s what’s important.

Chet-

Caelvan has it pretty much right on all points. As a horseman myself, asking that animal what happened, should it even still be alive (you do realize how much devastation there has been in Kormyre since Xualla right?) is a foolish errand... as it won't have those memories... or even know what you are talking about.

Warhorses are intelligent but not in the way you'd find a person to be so.

AS to why the Count did as he did-

The stability of Kormyre was pretty much the most important thing at that time as the news could have quite literally destroyed the Kingdom in the condition it was in then. Quite simply, the actions taken were the best ones for the benefit of all within the Kingdom, hands down... and actions since then were done to bolster it for when it did get out- such things don't say secret for long, especially with how high a profile the King is. That it stayed out of the know for 99% of the Kingdom is no small miracle I assure you.

I'm sorry you apparently cannot see or fathom this being an overall good or right idea... but then I've a different perspective on such things.

Kormyre is stronger now than it was.... but depending on the machinations of its enemies, it will be Travance that helps the overall Kingdom to survive onslaughts against it... even as enemies attempt to hammer us to make it easier to take out the Kingdom.

Until an appropriate individual is found and is determined to be the right sort, it is going to be a very interesting next few months to a year in the process of finding this individual.

And likely it will be a very violent time too...

I strongly suggest you keep your axes sharp and be ready to stand in defense of the Kingdom if you consider yourself a citizen of Kormyre or enjoy living here. It will take all of us to resist what is undoubtedly coming- especially once Necrowhateverhisnameis is dealt with or mitigated.

I am fairly certain you know we of the Spirits will be ready.

-Duncan

Can we not call the horse a "damnable beast" for doing what a horse does? It is still an animal. They get spooked and they do unpredictable things and sometimes people get hurt because of it. It didn't do it on purpose.

The others are right too. It probably doesn't remember what happened. Things happened. It is tragic, yes, and we will mourn his passing even if it's years late. But do not lay blame on the horse for behaving as a horse. The King knew the risks when he got onto that animal's back.

~Khala

Duncan I respect yore words alot more then I do a good deal of peeple here and Im waying it as such but still feel like folowing this line of thaut. Definitlee not haff assing it.

Chet

As an option to the horse why not use divine insight at the location of the death to see if it was an accident or purpose? Maybe the spell casters know more ways to get your information?

Berek

I must ask- to what end? The King is dead, whether by accident or by fault it cannot be changed. He cannot be returned by healers or by other means, so fixating on the past is worthless. For now it is better to focus on moving forward, to listen to our Count's requests to ensure that Kormyre, the kingdom we are all subjects of, remains safe and strong.

Are we e'en certain tha' th' horse is e'en still alive? if not, questionin' it in a demon's guts or in a pile o' excrement is goin' ta be quite a feat, even fra Travancians.

I fra one agree with this Cara Tartaros an' Khala. Let sleepin' horses lie (I am a terrible rider, if we must be honest-I should probably fix tha'). Fix wha' we can. Protect wha' needs it. An' move forward.

The reason why I think I would be worth knowing is there could be a hidden enemy with resource to kill a king. I have only been in Travance a few months but it is easy to see the advantages a feudal state has over many of the governments I have lived under. No slavery, plenty of work, the lords look out for their vassals, over all it is much nicer than the merchant princes or the pirate lords.

Berek

Mister Orino,

I'd be tempted ta agree wi' ye, but this sounds convenient, e'en by Travance's standards. Sometimes a Coast Haven alchemy stick is just tha'. There was nae profit ta kill off Kormyre's king. They were doin' a lot o' th' heavy liftin' in th Demon wars, through those tha' were 'ere at th' time. cover fra th' act, aye, but nae profit ta be had by doing so at tha' time. In addition, spookin' a horse, bein' ridden by a man who probably was well schooled in ridin' at th' same time I was first learnin' how ta ward off cavalry, wi' a healer as general beside him is a plan tha' carries a very noticeably low prospect of success. I am a suspicious sort. I dinnae see it as anythin' except a fancy o' imagination. It does nae good but dividin' us. I respectfully urge focusin' on wha' needs ta be done.

So what does need to be done? Find a new king? How do you do that?

-Midori Suarez
Daughter of Mercy

Midori asks the most pertinent question, "How do we find a new king?"
What are the laws of succession in Kormyre? Are there precedents of the current situation? Who has the authority to establish the new king? A council of nobles from the various counties and baronies?
Perhaps our scholars can research the laws of Kormyre for such information.

Although it would be just to do so, the question of investigating any culpability in the former king's death is secondary, at best. The first and foremost issue, for the stability of the Kingdom, is to determine who sits on the throne. We are a land of laws and for the sake of the Kingdom the new king must be determined quickly and lawfully.

Father Ephrem
Flagellant of the Holy Light

I believe we should move past the horse, honestly thank you count for all he's done the past few years. Making sure Kormyre was safe and grew to what it is now.
We need to focus on finding a new great king, possibly a queen. Who knows.