Personal Thoughts of the Vožd on his Imperial Peers

Duke, Archibald Ged "the Prolific", 7th Duke of Arcashire {Amiable}

"An Imperial Lord who actually invested in his peasants? I suppose this time the world might be ending if such a thing has come to pass. Perhaps he might be of use if he's willing to part with a portion of his wealth. He might even be welcome here, if he sends a few casks of Wine ahead and could tolerate the carriage ride up. I mean that sincerely. The road is cruel."

Dame, Quinn Smith {Amiable}

"A self made woman of commoner stock. Perhaps a mite too focused on productivity for my taste. Common problem for heroic types who usually die young, broke, and hungry. Still, she is a solid figure and could be useful in acquiring some fancy weapons, if she's willing to play head-ball of course."

Lord & Saint, Maluscomedo {Eschew}

"On the one hand, he is a hand of the Clergy which is so quick to beg for charity with a golden bowl and at the same time such an obvious profane wretch that he should be a mummer's farce. On the other hand? He is right in the Imperial heartland and whenever I bring him up it can induce twitching in the local clergy. So long as he keeps to the distant cities I am content to leave him where he is."

Marquis, Aldric Bolivard of Dragonbad {Eschew}

"In theory, a Marquis is a defender of the Empire, but it seems this pseudo-duke is more interested in lining his own pockets. Or so the Caravan masters say. I do not hold any particular antipathy for him, as he has had his border position obstructed by would-be settler-fiefs to his East. But those conquered lands and pockets of settlers wouldn't last against an organized threat."

Baron, Silas Nash of the Reach {Amiable}

"Half the greenskin clans have recalled to me being expelled by the preceding Nash lords, and when his half brother was expelled there was celebration. Granted, most of those clans have lived in the Highlands for centuries. But it is the thought that counts. We will see what he does. Perhaps he will ease the troubles of the Reach. Perhaps he will accelerate its collapse."

Carnival-Lairde, Gristletooth the Turncoat {Eschew}

"I don't trust anyone who mantles themselves in righteousness or zeal. Also, don't trust anyone who mantles themselves with 'Turncoat.' Perhaps that might just be the many snakeoil salesmen and goatmen raiders I've seen that put me on edge. Regardless I'd need him to put down a metaphorical dowry to open up real talks. Otherwise he isn't going to move me, or anyone under me."

Baron, Nestor Wolf {Amiable}

"One of the few willing to strike out into the steppe and forests olde, and one of the very rare few to succeed. Perhaps further from the heartland, but closer to the circuit of semi-independent heroic guilds, warrior lodges, and mercenary companies that support his holdings. He could be worked with and we might need to work with him with the way the zealots go on in the lands of the faithful."

Baron, Tanaka Haruto {Eschew}

"Strange naked men falling from the sky who are allegedly foretold by prophecy are not a viable root of governance."

“The Angel Emmanuel” {Eschew}

"I believe I made my stance clear already, though at least this one fits better with the common zealots narrative. In that he plays the role better. He is like the Empire, in a way. We will go with him as much as he goes with us and no further. Then if all is well and he tramples the snake, he can go back south and have clerics oil his pectorals. Or whatever the church does these days with their tithes and rituals..."

"I really hope they don't do that to Maluscomedo."

Bishop-Elector, & Saint Auria Hirpinia {Eschew}

"I can't say I care much for the holy land of Troelia which is oft a source of the zealots who occasionally make their way into my lands. Too focused upon the church and the position of Patriarch of the Faith, not enough on the commoners. Which might be the root of their current infestation of demon-things. Unfortunately, compared to the the standards of Troelian Regents in the past, she's fantastic."

Duke-Elector, Vicaro de' Barca, Elector of Margiotte {Amiable}

"I'm fairly certain Vicaro's forces killed my late father in Lyon. For that he has the thanks of almost everyone in Arcaadjia ending his ridiculous playing at Imperial Lordship. Despite being everything I am not, he contains himself well. In that, his soft powers are kept to playing for influence in the heartland. And invaders will always be drawn to the distant south over periphery and out-land settlements."

Duke, Harold Staggard II of Reins {Amiable & Eschew}

"I'm fairly certain there is a small blood feud left over when his grandfather killed one of my great grandfathers from the west (mother's side) and forced the family to settle in Arcaadjia. But he remains a compelling target, and for all the raiders and errant monstrosities he diverts away from our less settled land (or so the handful of survivors that come this way say) I can ignore him. Should he continue sitting in his big target of a castle, that will be enough. If he ever decides to try and consolidate the northern Frontier? We might need to resume the blood feud."

Lady, Catherinne Aisla de Lyoncaster {Amiable}

"One of my half-sisters studied down in Pearlcrest, I'm endlessly fascinated with how the scheming of the nobility can somehow end up relinquishing a notable institutional estate to a nominally imprisoned imp woman. Perhaps I send her a pelt coat one day, sister Svetlana is a decent enough physician because they let in burghers these days."

Lord, Avesta of Boglands {Amiable}

"Never fails to amuse me with just how the Dukes and Electors who dispense titles exhaustively lay the foundations for Witch Kings in the East. We can do little for him, and he can do little for us. But if he severely inconveniences any sincere invader from the East or the lords that tried to pacify him, I'd write a letter of commendation and send someone to make sure the Imperial Diet hears it."

Saint, Mog the Avaricious {Embittered}

"One day people like Mog will tear a hole in the Empire that has been centuries in the making. Oh, I despise the Saint, and their mummer's farce of a demesne. But one day their folly will be the root to a religious and political war that will be the death of the current empire. So long as she remains in her caricature fiefdom far from us I will not trouble her."

Duchess & Steward of Gascia, Lucia of House Carafa {Amiable}

"I will admit I am fond of women in uniform. Overall though, the Imperial outpost in Psophis has had many soldiers from Gascia that were among the better behaved men. The distance between us makes that just about the only contact we have, but the comparative behaviour of those few makes her of note."

Consul, Levi du Ponte III {Eschew}

"A high point of the rot within the empire. A man whose been in his position for too long and too caught up in the letters and shadows and daggers that corrupts the ability to cooperate. Let him have his dominion. It will eat him whole one day."

Emperor, Aurelius {Eschew}

"The top of a pyramid. There is little to say beyond the oath of fealty I gave to when I took the Barony. Let him remain in the distant south. Let him remain in the company of grovellers and allegedly holy men. That will serve him well enough. The rest of his loyal vassals like myself have fiefs to manage."

Lord, Steerpike {Eschew}

"Unless one of his alleged airships actually shows up and proves it isn't a drunken Caravan Master's encounter with a hot air balloon I remain skeptical. We remain at far removed ends of the Empire without any contact, and as such he gets the default treatment. Worth little unless proven otherwise."

Grandmaster, Evain of the Order of the Boot {???}

"I don't know what to believe about one of the odder stories about a, mercifully, insular knightly Order. Or the Grandmaster of that Order. Do they not know what a Trog-Gohbin is in the south? They have enough sewers down in Old Telos there's probably whole villages of them living in the unused pipes."

Sir, Atticus Hendrix {Eschew}

"There is little love for Sanctaphrax in Old Arcaadji and I can't say Atticus' predecessors did much to improve my standing of him. Still, he seems to be leveraging the current air to hasten his air flotilla and if nothing else we share the same logistics network. If all is well he might finally lead to the collapse of that eyesore rock. If not? He can at least make himself useful to those of us on the ground."

High Priest, Natas Reficul {Eschew}

"Before the Empire we Arcaadjia were forced to bow to many, not simply bad chiefs. Before Telos it was their renegade Dukes and Marquises. Before them, the Greenskin Troll worshippers. Before them, the Barbarians of the Goltru Mountains. Before them, a dynasty of Zebramen. Before them? Academics bicker, but before that grey period of history, the old Empire of Telos. Yet we remained. I care not for a Barbarian who wraps himself in a title and proclaims he is something he isn't. At least he is a black eye for the zealots of the faith."

Duchess & Consort, Alcyone Pertinax {Eschew}

"I will be forever baffled for how for an Empire that permits its autonomous lords to skin and eat the unwelcome, it is of those unwelcome who will be among its most fervent supporters. Then again my Father insisted he was of pure Telosi stock and almost bankrupted the city funding campaigns for one-sided alliances with other 'regal' lords. I cannot say I care for her coming, but apparently watching her departure is a welcome sight."

Baron, Raspail of Godsiron Grove {Amiable}

"There is one family of dwarves under my governance who have a grudge against him for possessing an Iron mine of that they helped found. He is also far removed from our lands, but from what I hear? He has too much heart to be a noble. Unfit perhaps, but if we had more men like him in this miserable state it might inspire more devotion from the rest of it."

'Archangel' Seraphina {Eschew}

"Another Angel that I think would fit better in the local harpy clans than a church. Still, she has sent assistance at times to guard the Northern Roads, so as long as she keeps herself to the countering of external threats? Perhaps drawing the ire of those nobles about her that yearn for the “love of the faith” and the taxes on pilgrims? I will not complain of her presence."

Baronet, Magus Filius Lupa {Amiable}

"The most insidious users of magic are those who pretend they are mundane. In that, witches dancing nude beneath the moon and long bearded oddballs with far too many books are refreshing. He's absolutely deranged and I needed to add his lands to the list of restricted places for many of my people. But he is mobile where so many are static or self cannibalizing. Still, need to send him a letter at some point not delivered by my usual courier harpies."

Lord, Piza Ragoo of Tumbaas “the Conqueror” {Eschew}

"There is a reason why most conventional warfare is kept within the Empire. Why only small dedicated hosts find success beyond when so many legions have died hungry and defeated. I look forward to hearing about his starving “army” coming apart at the seams and lynching him. Perhaps he'll run back to Tumbaas and continue to entertain his lineage's delusions of adequacy. Or perhaps the Southern tribes will finally wipe his pathetic fiefdom off the map. Who can say?"

Petty King, Tiberius Rex {Amiable}

"Shoddy and ill-defended invader holds, Wizard fiefdoms, a self proclaimed Pirate King. Is there any wonder as to why the Telosi hold on the Southern Seas and isles is a joke among the guilds? And with how some robber barons act I must wonder if he struck a nerve in the heartlands to avoid pardon. Still, a positive note on distant lands I can do little to effect."

Bridge-Duke, Giovanni Florina {Amiable}

"Which of his forefathers decided to put a city on a bridge? It seems terribly counter-intuitive. Any Caravan Master who makes the journey to us has nothing but kind words about him and he has in the past ensured that smaller companies from across the empire get decent enough deals. A cunning move to retain business and a steady stream of revenue, but one that I can tolerate if it raises living quality in my home."

Imperial Shadow, Margus Iscariot Pertinax {Amiable}

"Truly, the old Telosi sewers are a world unto themselves. Should the fire rise it will be interesting to see the old beast finally march out from his Gaol to make war on the enemies of the empire. I pity him, though I know well the sort of creature he is. A few clans trace descent from such oddities and they are treated with a reverence among the old believers. He is dangerous more than anything else, but deserving of the light of day and the crisp morning air."

Duke, Pollu Contra of Sunge {Eschew}

"Should I have stopped some of my more adventurous half-brothers from seeking lands abroad when when incompetent men can stumble into power? Yes, but more to keep my kin from getting themselves killed, not that there isn't a chance they could get to be spineless landlords when anyone bloated with confidence and half an alleged noble heritage can sneak into the role."

Titleless, Valeria {Amiable}

"The poor bastard spinster! Could you believe that this is the first proper half-breed pretender in three hundred years, when every Anti-Emperor has been painted as a changeling? Her antics will cause much damage but it is cathartic watching the past Imperial mistakes catch up with the present. Perhaps though she might show some prudence if rumours are true. That menagerie she has collected on the rocks could be very useful. Might even realize how to find herself some 'sausage.' Who knows?"

Countess, Amos Hek of the Leper Isle {Eschew}

"Pretty sure the sister of one my night-dancers is running her coven. And that woman left over certain issues after an allegation with another witch's warg. Which... Certainly colours my view of what the Countess is doing in her dungeon. The line of Hek is an old enemy though, so I must assume she isn't like to be helpful without some diplomacy. Which, I'm not going to initiate."

Mistress, Robin Stormlily {Amiable}

"The unlikely heiress of the Revelationist college out in the North West. I can't say I'd care to visit myself, but she is welcome to visit if she ever goes out on tour. Would be good to renew some old treaties in person as riders of mine hate going up to that rock of hers."