“It leaves the delicate matter of the will. The deceased requested that you - bound as you were by a close, consanguineal bond - administer it.” ―The Herald
A wealthy man has passed away, and the disposal of his estate and chattels falls to you. His inheritors gather, like dogs at the butcher's door.
Available actions[]
1.
Claim a tithe of the legacy for Serault Your seneschal tells you of an ancient right of lordship, rarely invoked in recent times...
Difficulty: Cunning*6/7
Success: "Was he not Serault's most faithful son?" At first, the family are horrified, but when you explain that their ancestor's legacy will live on in a renewed, glorious Serault, their feathers are smoothed. You sweeten the point by making them valued courtiers, welcome in your councils, where their thin, tentative voices are often heard advocating the path of least resistance.
+10 Prosperity
Failure: For the greater good The dead man's family are incensed. One of them, a jowly man with prematurely thin hair, calls you a brigand before your whole court. They threaten to appeal to the Empress. That night, a gray horse and bitter rider take the moonlit road to Val Royeaux, bearing tales of your avarice.
+10 Prosperity, -10 Dignity
2.
Scrupulously follow the will Try to ensure the inheritors are satisfied.
Difficulty: Rulership*6/5
Success: The letter of the law You execute the will precisely, down to the last colon. The dead man's inheritors - a somber family given to impenetrable and consuming hobbies - thank you for your diligence and invite you to dine with them. Their manor is draughty. Their chef believes in boiling food into submission. But the company is perceptive and frank.
+4 Dignity, +3 Clues
Failure: Old resentments The dead man liked his daughter more than his son, his son more than his step-daughter, and his horse more than the lot of them. Digging through the familial strife turns up surprising secrets, but to end the matter you have to top up several bequeathments from your own coffers.
+3 Clues, -6 Prosperity
