>>5178605"You have so many soldiers... Surely you could split your factions and send them to both places..."
"Weird, I thought you were the one who didn't trust my animalistic army. Who's to say they'll listen to me?" Barnham grins, using your mistrust of his men against you.
"The way I see it, we have a few options. Either you can take your title as the new commander of Ilos, and learn the ropes while you order me to one of those places... Or I can offer you the honorary title of being my second in command. Still having power and respect inside my territory, but still leaving the business side to me. That way, we can both go our separate ways. Really, it would only depend on what you are most interested in."
You need some time to think this through. You're not fully healed yet, so it might take a few weeks for Barnham to prepare his expedition. The troops will probably be more inclined to follow his side, and that saves you the trouble of fighting a bunch of brainless gladiators over mild inconveniences. But knowing how much he still loves fighting and warmongering, you risk either making Barnham kill the entirety of the Holy See's army, or murder the king himself. Nobody safe for Zhafira likes the king at this point, but you're still not sure if the bear demon would be the best royal candidate...
There is also the whole ordeal about your estate. It's probably destroyed and Jacopo's body has probably been fed to the rats, but you know that your inherited money is still down there. Do you trust the apostle to bring that money back if he does visit your place? He did hand you your coins... Maybe the fortune you have would be enough to bribe him into his wishes of drowning our land into further anarchy.
A threat of violence will probably be innefective, given how he's already in full swing while you're bedridden, so you'll have to appeal to this musclehead's most missing virtue: Logic.
"What to do Vlad, What to do...? Would you be a friend and help me to decide the best course of action?"
>I want to command Ilos.>Second in command is fine enough.>I want nothing to do with your land.>Let me go to the capital, you can fight Mozgus at Albion.>I'll go to Albion, you can do what you want in Wyndham.>Stop at my place and make a base of operations there. My money should keep you afloat for a few months.>Write-in. 