This is the list of Interactions with Artimenner.
Introduction[]
"Oh! Say, friend, are you by chance heading out of town anytime soon?"
- I am. What concern is it of your [sic], may I ask?
- "I'm an engineer, specialized in the art of fortification. If you need a wall knocked down, I can do that, given enough time. If you need a wall built back up, I can do that too, although it will take longer and cost you more. And you can't cut costs, either, unless you want your new edifice coming down underneath you, as someone around here has just found out.
- The castellan here in (town) wanted a new tower added to the wall. Trouble is, he ran out of cash halfway through the process, before I could complete the supports. I told him that it would collapse, and it did. Unfortunately he was standing on it, at the time. The new castellan didn't feel like honoring his predecessor's debts and implied that I might find myself charged with murder if I push the point.
- More fool me for having taken the contract without an advance, I suppose, but the end of it all is that I'm in a difficult spot, with the roads full of bandits and no money to pay for an escort. So I'd be much obliged if a well-armed party heading out in the next few days could take me along."
- Where do you need to go?
- "Geroia, eventually, but I'd welcome the opportunity to get a few dinars in my pocket, first, so I don't come home empty handed. So if you promise me food and a share of the loot, I'd be happy to fight with you for a while.
- Siegework is my specialty, although I reckon can handle myself well enough in an open battle, if need be."
- That works for me. I will be pleased to hire you.
- "Good. By the way, as a skilled engineer I would expect a payment for my services. A signing bonus of 300 denars would be fair, I think."
- All right, here's 300 denars. Glad to have you with us.
- "Good! Give me a few moments to prepare and I'll be ready to move."
- Sorry. I can't afford that at the moment. (Decline)
- Actually, I need a different kind of expertise. My apologies. (Decline)
- Sorry. I've got all the men that I can manage right now. (Decline)
- Siegework is my specialty, although I reckon can handle myself well enough in an open battle, if need be."
- I'd be obliged if you minded your own business, sir. (Decline)
Reencounter[]
"I've been going from castle to castle, looking to see if walls or towers need repair. But either the lord's away, or he's got other things on his mind, or I run into his creditors on the street, begging for change, and I realize that here's one job not to take. So if you hear of anything, let me know."
Retirement[]
"I appreciate that you took me on, but I'm not altogether happy about how things have worked out. I'm going to head off elsewhere -- maybe go home, maybe find another job, I haven't quite decided yet."
Rehire[]
"Why hello, (player). I can't say I'm entirely displeased to see you. You see, I took on another contract before I left, and sure enough, when it came time to collect the pay, the lord had nothing but talk and excuses and petty little complaints about my handiwork. I can't say I was always happy in your company, but at least I put gold directly into my purse after every battle. You still offering work?"
Gathering Information[]
"Captain. As you may know, I have some time harbored a wish to go to Durquba, and study the masonry -- one of the finest examples of the old Calradic style. As it happens, one of my colleagues is currently engaged there doing repair work on the curtain wall. While his sense of professional obligation I think would prevent him, rightfully, from disclosing to me any weakness in its defenses. I suspect that he would not be averse to offering up his opinion of the general state of the (faction), if that is of interest to you."
Right to Rule[]
"Well, you pay your men on time, when you can, generally speaking. That's the best qualification for kingship there is, in my book. You show some respect for the rights of others.
I would. People might say that you don't have royal blood in your veins. But as far as I've seen, royal blood makes you a skinflint. Kings and nobles will take out loans or commission building projects without half a thought to how they're ever going to pay back all those commoners who expect to eat after an honest day's work. If you ask me, an honest tongue makes a man a king, not a fancy pedigree.
I'm glad you think so. Here's what I suggest. I know men in the guilds here, men like me, who've been shafted and shaken down until they can take no more. Here's what I'll tell them -- you're honest. You respect the burghers. You'll pay your debts. You won't beggar your subjects."
Awarding a Fief[]
"Well, (sir/my lady), that's a gracious act, and marks you as the kind of monarch who can save this sorry land from the incompetence of the current batch. I suspect a lot of the noble lords around here will think that a commoner like me isn't fit to hold a fief. Well, when they see what I do with it, and what revenues I can bring in, they'll change their tune!"
Story: Culmarr Castle[]
"You see that castle up on the hill? Culmarr Castle, it's called. I did some work there, not long ago. It's not as showy as some of the other castles in this land, but it's the finest stonework you ever saw.
Like most castles that last around here, it's got foundations that are old Imperial Calradic. You can't see them any more with all the rebuilding, but the slabs are the size of a house. They must have been real sorcerors [sic] back in those days, because I don't see how they moved those things otherwise. Beautiful location, too -- Culmarr sits right in front of the pass leading out of Calradia, which allows the lord to charge a pretty penny in tolls during the three months of the year that it's not snowed in.
And here's the funny thing -- when the Rhodok lands first rebelled against the Swadians, they all said they weren't going to have any noble lords ruling over them. You can guess how long that lasted. One Rhodok hill chieftain sets himself up in Culmarr, call himself 'Count', and the good burghers of Jelkala and Veluca have to lick his boots if they want to sell their wine and velvet outside Calradia. And if you want to keep the counts under control, and the peasants providing the towns with food rather than selling to the highest bidder, then you need a King too, don't you? The Rhodok lands are no different than anyone else, whatever guff they talk about 'ancient liberties' and 'freedom'."
Story Recap[]
"I'm from over the hills. But Calradia is where the money is to be made, these days, if your trade is siegecraft."
Like Quotes[]
Lezalit[]
"Captain. I was just having a word with Lezalit after our last battle, and it strikes me that the man has got a good head on his shoulders.
War, like any other affair, requires careful planning and preparation, and a firm grasp of strategic principals. All other things being equal, the best trained army will win the battle, an observation that I think our last fight bears out. The men may curse him now, but they'll learn to thank him, I'll warrant."
Dislike Quotes[]
Jeremus (Battle Dislike)[]
Captain -- I must tell you that I question Jeremus's medical credentials. As he was tending to our wounded after that last battle, I saw fit to remind him that the peerless Galerian often advocated administering a distillation of beetroot, to restore the humor imbalance brought by loss of sanguinity.
Jeremus responded that Galenian was an 'antiquated know-nothing.' Captain, no true doctor would have such disrespect for the great masters of the past. I do not believe you should employ such an obvious impostor.
Klethi (Map Dislike)[]
Excuse me. I hope you don't mind me telling you that in my opinion, that girl Klethi is a danger to the party. She's a feral brat, disrespectful of authority and the basic principles of the military art.
What's more, I suspect she's a thief. I found her going through my baggage and pawing some of my schematics, and she pulled a knife on me where I thought fit to object. A wise captain would not allow her in his company.
Right to Rule Objection: Katrin[]
I understand that you've given leave to Katrin to spread some nonsense about marks on your hands. I just want to say that, as an educated man, I find it disturbing that you would resort to old women's superstitions to back your claim. Village women will believe one thing one day, another thing the next. Now a horoscope, properly cast by an astrologer at a royal university with a reputation to uphold, might tell you something worth knowing, but those have not been performed in Calradia for some time.
Hunger[]
Sir -- just so you know my opinion, any commander with sense will not let his company run out of food. I hope you don't mind me speaking so bluntly.
Failed Quests[]
You know, friend (player), it's none too reassuring to see how you just fail a quest which we undertook on word of honour. If you can break your word to them, you can break your word to me, is how I figure it.
Heavy Casualties[]
Sir -- just so you know my opinion, any commander with sense will not let his company turn every battle into a bloodbath for our side. I hope you don't mind me speaking so bluntly.
As an Enemy[]
Ah... I have not been looking forward to this day. I just want to say that in my sight, if you'd kept your faith in me, things would never have come to this. But no doubt you see it differently.