>>5621982“I could have you killed, and easily,” he says, matter-of-factly. “Do you really think you could fight your way through my guards, Father’s Paladins, the entire CITY?”
“Maybe,” you say, though you can’t be sure. “You ssaid thiss iss not your plan, though. Why are you NOT doing thiss thing?”
The Prince says nothing, but you consider what you know of politics and power—and the jockeying for station which is taking place here, compared to your own struggles to assert dominion over Reptilian culture. This Secondborn Prince… He is waging a war for dominion against his brother, and he is ALREADY at a disadvantage. His claim to fame, his sole merit, is his firmhanded handling of Hawksong’s security concerns—economically stifling, but popular with a populace who have learned to fear foreigners and any unusual denizen who might be a ‘lizardman’ in disguise. You think you get it—who would still support this Prince of Protection, after learning his policies were guided by a demon-cult in alliance with the Reptilian Menace for DECADES? And if he was to just kill you and somehow do away with Yosef-slash-Irrinile WITHOUT revealing your true nature, would his brother not jump upon the opportunity to discredit him as an opportunist who violated oaths and laws to do away with a mouthy and presumptuous (but NOT criminal) foreigner?
“What do you want?” you ask him, pointedly.
He laughs humourlessly, and counters: “A funny question, from the one who demanded the meeting. What do YOU want? Keeping in mind, of course, that I have no reason to grant it to you, if it’s too egregious.”
You blink startled, and consider the question. Before your mind can wander too far, the Prince of Hawksong drums his fingers in noisy irritation upon the arm of his chair, and shifts his stance.
“My price, as a STARTING position, is that you remove Yosef from this palace IMMEDIATELY,” he adds. “Any breakdown in negotiations—any betrayal on your part—will result in your utter destruction.”
What will you say or do?
>Propose an alliance of interests—you will help him surpass his elder brother in status and acclaim, and send Irinnile away, if he enables your continued courtship of Ekaterine>Suggest mutual non-interference, and promise not to stay long or draw untoward attention to him—you are here for a brief spell, and you and Irinnile will leave soon, and just wish to move and act freely>You are here to take his city, but you will spare his miserable life and offer him a place in your retinue if he bends the knee and does your bidding>Why would you need ANYTHING from this weaselly ape-man? He’s a threat—provoke him to violence, and end him here in ‘self defence’!>Flee—you’ve been found out, and you need to get out of here YESTERDAY>Write-in[More generous offers have lower DC, but any promises made will be treated as knightly oaths if he fores the issue, which he VERY LIKELY will.]
