The Rise and Fall of the Barony of von Smooglenuff

[Devin]

Thread Links:
Grape Jelly
Smooglenuff Wine: The Lunch
Smooglenuff Wine: The Vineyard
Smooglenuff Wine: Planting

What are you doing? The five trainees from Cally’s finally arrive at Smooglenuff Manor in order to help with the new vineyard. In order to motivate them and inspire them, Devin cooks a grape-themed lunch for them. Together with Marvin, Miranda and Mrs. Adams, the head cook, they construct trellises and plant muscadine grapes. They choose a spot inside the wall, next to the garden, for that so that the grapes will be protected from the local wildlife. Marvin, the engineer, and his assistants also construct a fence around the vineyard so that the various animals that live at the manor don’t eat the grapes.

This is part of the Bonus Belongingness Needs 01 objective.

Who's doing it? Devin
Linking because the threads are finished.

!	Message from: Peg
	Accepted! This adds to Bonus Belongingness Need 01 (+5%) and also to Loyalty (previously unlocked. +5%).

[Devin]

Thread Link: Florence
What are you doing? In Ymiden, Devin arranged combat training for the employees of Smooglenuff Manor in order to increase the Barony's defensive capabilities. In this thread, he realizes that it will be too cold to practice outside soon. So, he talks to Miranda, the head maid, and they decide to use the ballroom for training and such when there are no balls so that people can continue to train and don't have to wait until spring.
Who's doing it? Devin
Linking because the threads are finished.

!	Message from: Peg
	Accepted. This adds to the Loyalty area (+5%) and also adds the following to resources: "The Manor itself has combat-trained staff with provision for them to continue training. Therefore, should they ever be attacked at the manor, they will be able to fight at Competent level. "

[Devin]

Thread Link: Florence Returns
What are you doing? Devin continues to teach sword fighting lessons. As it's getting colder, they are training in the ballroom now. Devin teaches his students how to use one-handed swords, but also tells them something about the advantages of two-handed swords. The lessons are not only open to guards, but to all interested employees of Smooglenuff Manor. Florence, the training dummy, makes an appearance, too - in a sexy maid outfit!
Who's doing it? Devin
Linking because the thread is finished.

I'm hoping to a little boost to our Flavor NPC's combat skills. I already wrote a sword fighting lesson back in Ymiden.

Previous threads

Devin Teaches People To Fight (Part 1)
Devin Teaches People To Fight (Part 2)

!	Message from: Peg
	Accepted. This adds to the Loyalty Area, and has added to the addition to the resources: "The Manor itself has combat-trained staff with provision for them to continue training. Therefore, should they ever be attacked at the manor, they will be able to fight at Competent level. "

[Pegasus]

New Areas unlocked!
NEW CYCLE:
There are issues in the lands around Smooglenuff manor. There are needs which are unmet and have been for some time. The tunnels under your land need dealing with and the people who work the land need to know that they are safe from landslides etc. This needs dealing with, or there will be accidents / issues.

Saoire is watching with interes.

[Devin]

Thread Links:
The Great Smooglenuff Bonfire, Part 1
The Great Smooglenuff Bonfire, Part 2

What are you doing? It's been exactly an arc since Devin was made a Baron, so he decides to hold a Cylus Dusk celebration at the beach. There is a bonfire, and there are food and drinks and warm blankets and such. Devin holds a grand speech during which he talks about the past arc and celebrates the staff and their individual accomplishments and thanks them all.

Furthermore, he installs a noticeboard in the entrance hall where events as well as other important information can be announced (the Cylus Dusk celebration is the first event that is announced there).

He even visits the guards that have to protect the manor during the party and celebrates with them a little because they deserve a party, too, and he gives Mrs. Adams, the cook, some time off so that she can visit her son in Scalvoris Town. Finally, he leaves an Echo Scroll at the guard house so that the guards can quickly contact him in case there's a threat.

This should meet the following objective: Loyalty 02: Celebrate your staff!

I'm also hoping that the noticeboard and the Echo Scroll in the guard house will have a slightly positive effect on the Safety rating.

Who's doing it? Devin
Linking because the threads are finished.

!

Message from: Peg

Accepted! This meets Loyalty 02: Celebrate your staff. It adds to your Safety rating. It also gives the following additional consequence: Mrs Adams, the cook, is so happy with how she's treated that when she comes back she brings a letter from her son, Anthony. Now that he has gained his Certificate in Engineering from the University, he would like to offer his services to the Barons and the Manor. He is an Engineer of high standing and is considered something of a prodigy / genius among his professors. He may be added to the Barony NPCs and will work, happily, on construction projects etc. He is also a keen beekeeper.

[Devin]

Thread Link: Ferns and Flowers
What are you doing? Devin's parents, Emma and Daniel, arrive from Rynmere. They tell him the truth about his parentage - the Immortal Zanik is his father. He helped them escape from Rynmere. Devin asks them to live with him on Faldrass, and they accept. The Barony has two new residents now!
Who's doing it? Devin
Linking because the thread is finished.

!

Message from: Peg

Noted. Couple of things here: 1. Please clarify with the other Barons if you are happy for them to use these NPCs in passing. 2. The staff will be intrigued by Devin's parents. There is the possibility for Emma and her husband to integrate well with the staff, maybe. 3. His parents will start asking when he's going to settle down, get married, have babies, that kind of thing. Somehow, they manage to find out about quite a few appropriate single ladies. No big pressure, but it's there. 4. They will be very interested in building a relationship with the other Barons and Alyssia. The other Barons will get the same "shouldn't you find a nice lady and settle down, isn't marriage wonderful" stuff. Alyssia will -if she is happy to allow it - get some very kind grandparent-like figures.

[Pegasus]

[Devin]

Thread Link: Cylus Dusk: Aftermath
What are you doing? It's the morning after the Cylus Dusk celebration. Devin decides to be a dutiful doctor rather than staying in bed all day long. His first patient at the manor clinic where he does not only treat employees, but whoever needs help, is a young man that had an accident during a Cylus Dusk party somewhere on Faldrass. He got drunk and fell from a tree. Devin treats his injured leg, and he also gives him something for his hangover.
Who's doing it? Devin
Linking because the thread is finished.

(This was my Cylus 722 wealth thread, in case it matters.)

!	Message from: Peg
	Accepted! This adds +1 to Belonginess as the young man is very happy - and very vocal - with how he is treated! Belongingness now at 26%

[Devin]

Thread Links:
Smooglenuff Wine: Wine Sabayon
Smooglenuff Wine: Spring in the Vineyard

What are you doing? Spring has finally arrived, and the trainees from Cally's return in order to help in the vineyard and learn something again. Devin welcomes them with a delicious wine-themed dessert that he made himself - wine sabayon. Afterwards, they head to the vineyard. Even though Devin has is decent gardener himself now, he continues to let Miranda, the maid, lead the project. Devin, the trainees and a few other helpers take care of all the work that needs to be done in a vineyard in spring, such as pruning. Marvin, the engineer, repairs the trellises and such. In addition to that, wine-making equipment such as a press and barrels, has been delivered to the Barony, in expectation of the first harvest in fall.

Who's doing it? Devin
Linking because the threads are finished.

This is related to Bonus Belongingness Needs 01: Give some of your land to a vinyard to grow Barony grapes and create the Smooglenuff Wine.

!

Message from: Peg

Accepted! This meets that need. It gives you the following: +5% to your belongingness need (now 31) Bonus Fire wine. Miranda tells Devin at the beginning of the Hot Cycle that there are unexpected grapes growing. The grapes are beautiful (and they glow!). They ripen at the beginning of Saun and they are beautiful to look at - they will make for some very unusual (and lovely) wine. Please feel free to dev the grapes and the wine(s) (red and / or white) if you wish, which will be (for now) exclusive to the Barony. Please note this unlocks "Economy" as an Area of Growth.

[Darius Baer]

Thread Link: I Walk The Line
What are you doing? Darius, Lars, and Marvin set about making the road between Smooglenuff Manor and Hopetoun safer. They do this by repairing part of the road, finding a place of shelter for future travellers, and fighting off some bandits. This should (in theory) result in safer travel between the manor and the settlement, and add a degree of security to both locations.
Who's doing it? Darius, along with Hopetoun NPC Lars and Smooglenuff Manor NPC Marvin. (With a cameo from Baer's bear!)
Linking because the thread is finished.

!	Message from: Peg
	Accepted. It doesn't meet a specific need, but it increases Safety. +5%

I realise that I forgot to make any mention of the threads that were created as a follow-up of the above one. This improves the safety of the Faldrassian coast, which as a result benefits the barony's security.

Thread: 'Ottery Shards
What are you doing? Following on from I Walk The Line, Darius and the crew of the Libertalia pursue the Dread Otter. The battle is inconclusive, but it does serve to protect the fishing crews, and they force the pirates away from Hopetoun. As a result, the pirates know that they can expect a fight if they return.
Who's doing it? Darius Baer and the crew of the Libertalia.

Thread: An-ot'er Dread Otter Thread and Ambush At Otter Cove.
What are you doing? Following on from 'Ottery Shards, Darius gains a few new followers (renown reward) just as he hears that the Dread Otter is in the vicinity again. The group heads out and eventually puts an end to the pirates.
Who's doing it? Darius Baer, Lars, Kirt, and a handful of new followers.

Thread: The Arrrraignment Arrrrangement
What are you doing? Darius takes the two surviving pirates from Ambush At Otter Cove to face a judge in Scalv-Town. He convinces them beforehand to plead guilty, and then requests the judge to issue a lenient punishment as a result.Who's doing it? Darius Baer, Lars (Hopetoun NPC), and a few of Darius' followers.

!	Message from: Peg
	Accepted! This has the following impacts: This meets Safety Need 04 This increases your Safety Need by 5% (it is now 22%) It increases you Loyalty Area of Growth by 5% (it is now 25% - Darius has contributed 5% of that)