2.1 Chapter 1: Into the Stolen Lands

After Lady Jamandi finishes speaking, her servants begin circle around the room, filling mugs with ale, fruit juice, or water and serving food from heaping platters. The feast itself includes four courses in all: crisp greens lightly flavored with savory oils, spicy seasoned waterfowl, a main course of tender roast boar, and a finishing selection of fine desserts and cheeses. For the duration of the feast, the servants bustle about in their never-ending quest to keep mugs and goblets full and take discarded plates away to the scullery.

As the feast enters it's stride the speeches clapping and formalities die down and the guest begin to mingle

In the feast hall, of interest

Lady Jamandi Aldori & Mayor Ioseph Sellemius are together, they are surrounded by a gaggle of minor nobles. It looks like it is difficult to get the two head honcho's attention.

Amiri is aggressively challenging people to drinking/wrestling contests

Tartuccio is boasting about how great he is.

Harrim is talking religion with what appears to be an undead elf (Jaethal)

A ruggedly handsome swordlord (Maegar) is attempting (and failing) to flirt exceptionally beautiful warrior (Valerie).

A very excited halflling (Linzi) is perkily chatting with anyone she can find, and occasionally writing in a large leather-bound journal

The room is fill from many other nobles, adventures, and officials as well

Over the course of the feast Selene and Filbert chat with many of the other guests. Of note

Linzi is overjoyed about the cute talking Leshy. Cheerfully she tells a tale of her origins in the revolution-ravaged country of Galt and her plight to the oppressive regime of Pitax, where learned the bardic arts. She is keen to record every detail of this feast of heroes to go into her epic book. "The bandits are big meanies, no doubt we will defeat them as in the tales of old" 

Maegar brags that he is being assigned to assigned to Nomen Heights and about how he’s already got plans for anew village called Varnhold drawn up back at his home. He already has a team lined up for time. Maegar is the third son of a Brevic baron ,and as such, he doesn’t stand to inherit his father’s title and holdings. The opportunity to make a name for himself by answering the call for heroes is, he believes, his best chance to make his fortune  Born into nobility, Valerie once sought to become a champion of Shelyn, but an act of blasphemy forever set her on a much more ordered and organized path. She doesn’t regret abandoning her original path, but she does regret how her fellow Shelynites reacted to her choice. She appreciates the beaty of Filbert's scales 

For bureaucratic maters you recall that Kassil Aldori was the one taking names for incoming heros. Even now Kassil is standing near Lady Jamandi with a notebook, and has been writing notes on the Lady's bequest.

Linzi


Maegar Varn


Valarie

Kassil Aldori gives a tired speech "Sigh, assignments and teams will be decided tomorrow. The Lady wants to assess the adventures and make the appropriate matches. Then appropriate charters can be drawn and signed". Octavius gets the feeling this is not the first time he has said this tonight.

Kassil does notice Octavius' family crest and perks "Oh, the Lady is good is on terms with your house. A lessor son you said, you haven't been exiled?" there is a pause as the room is filled with boasting cheers, as apparently Amiri is doing something stupid/heroic "No matter, the Lady will be excited by the news. Let's talk when it is quieter. I will see to it that you get preferential treatment over more ... uncouth adventures"

Meagar Varn is very excited to meet someone of his rank and status. He discusses in great detail his plans to found a village and gain power of his own. Octavius seems to impress him with his own tales and Meagar start to speak about the plans for future nation "When we establish are nations we should work together, we can form a grand alliance"

"Excellent good sir. I look forward to working with you in the future. Now, if you excuse me I have many matter to attend to tonight" with that the half-orc goes back to writing notes

"Good day sir, let’s strengthen other potential alliances …. Just avoid the fancy gnome. I somehow don’t trust him"

Linzi sings an inspiring epic song while Filbert is doing tricks. The feast hall thunders with applause. Chatting with Valerie she talks about her plans. If it were up to her she would approach slow and methodical. Taking bandit outposts, building defensive posts to contain the stag lord. Almost laying siege to the region

You are in a room full of nobles and hire ups, in a nation on the verge of civil war. Secrets and intrigue would be the most lucrative. There is also possibility of a coin purse here and there

The silver ware is quite nice, but bulky and low value

There is a throne near the back with some ornate gems embedded. Two guards stand by the throne

Similarly there are guards posted on the exits and entrance