Quest:Estates de la Noblesse

Estates de la Noblesse is a quest by Vedibere -- also known as Vedibere !!O+eQDn0BBx8 on his previous /tg/ quests -- where the participants take on the role of a 16-year-old noble named Henri de Montlac circa 1240 North/Central France Fane.

Meta Notes

While the character has innate skills, traits, and weaknesses, the players are the ones who must negotiate politically and figure things out.

There is a "stress" mechanic, by which Henri can get bonuses to any one action he himself takes. Stress points stay until removed. Henri can take three stress points before going into overstress. The first three stress points can be removed by doing something sufficiently relaxing or rewarding. Stress points can also be removed by Vedibere as a penalty to any one action. Overstress can only be removed by means of penalty. The system is described in more detail in this post. Major NPCs will have a similar mechanic.

Characters

• Henri de Montlac. The player character. As the son of a Viscount he would likely be addressed as The Honorable Henri de Montlac. Henri is a prodigy in the physical realm and has a natural grace, but is of average stature. He was schooled well by his mother and tutors, and takes most aptly towards history. Henri excels at fighting.

• Viscount Bernard de Montlac. Father. Very calculating.

• Viscountess Eleanor von Elpstien. Mother. Hails from the Gralm Empire. Loving, and educated. May be frail.

• Jean de Montlac. Older brother by three years, and heir.

• Unnamed sister.

• Baron Guy de Lirant. The only Baron in vassalage to Castle Montlac.

• Dirac, the first son of Baron de Lirant.

• Drac de Signure. Former squire of Baron Guy de Lirant. One year older than Henri, and sworn blood-brother to him.

• Miles Venure, far-removed grandson of the Count of Oralian. Studied at the University of Fane after starting a scandal with an ally’s noble daughter. Handsome.

• Vittorio, son of wealthy tradesmen from the Velian states (Pirna?). Was not particularly liked by similarly-aged noble youths, for some reason.

• Sir Otto Vandhalt, Knight of Gralm. Henri passed judgement upon him for murdering a man while drunk, refusing Otto's offer of weregild, but not permitting Bernard to champion a servant. It might be possible to consider him indebted to Henri for leniency.

• Giles Bernard, merchant. A relative of the man killed by Sir Otto. Requested permission to duel Sir Otto to the death and received it, but was denied the motion to champion a servant, and was forced to forfeit.

• Sir Valay. A talented freelance warrior hired by Henri's father to train Henri in combat. He departed at the end of his tenure with nothing left to impart.

• Father Dournay. A learned member of the Church, and tutor of the family. May perhaps hide a dark secret.

Places

• Castle Montlac. Seat of the Viscountship of the Montlac line. Set at the top of a promontory overlooking the great river Seele, the great castle dominates trade on the river below and the crossroads not far away, while also securing the main road to the city of Montlac.

• Rianes. A village of Montlac, mostly grown up to serve the castle.

• Fountain Wood. A wood next to Rianes, away from the direction of Montlac.

• Gralm Empire. A nearby land and origin of the character's mother.

• Ceprey. A nearby town.

• Oralian, a countship to the south.

• Fane. The capital city, and also the name of the country. About a week and a half away on horseback, presuming you aren't rushing

Henri's Treasury

Presumably incomplete.

• Greyflame, a destrier gifted to Henri by his father on Henri's 16th birthday. Sired from the prestigious line of Holtin onto the magnificent line of Vanity.

• A spyglass from the east, able to be collapsed for ease of carry and masterfully crafted in bronze before being etched and gilt. Gifted to Henri by his mother for Henri's 16th birthday.

• An empty wooden weapons case containing a promissory note by the Master Blacksmith Cathan of Herse, willing to craft a weapon most suited to Henri's tastes. Gifted to Henri by Baron de Lirant for Henri's 16th birthday.

Setting

The world in general has strong historic basis. Time is kept by canonical hours.

The smallest currency is the Denir, followed by the Sou, and then by a Livre. A (historical) French livre has 20 sous, each of which has 12 deniers, making a livre worth 240 deniers. Five Livers is the price of a quality riding horse. Half of that (576 deniers) would buy an average-quality sword, a packhorse, or a cow.