Guess Who's Coming to New Kolland?
by GreenbrierOK here's some ideas, feel free to make changes as you see fit!
NUWMONT 18, 1012: Guess Who's Coming to New Kolland? Pt. 1
Location: Tower of Udhgar, New Kolland, Glantri
Description: When New Kolland was enfeoffed last month the bureaucratic orientation team informed Prince Kol that he must choose a name for his fief, which would be officially recorded and thereafter unchangeable. Kol chose to become the Count of Skoldar, named for his illustrious Thyatian ancestor who brought civilization to the kobolds and founded the Kol dynasty. Now he begins planning a grand celebration for this summer where he will officially celebrate the Great Skoldar, change the ugly name of the former orcish fortress he inhabits, and bring the center of the Glantrian social scene to New Kolland for the night.
What This Means: Over the next few months tongues in Glantri will be wagging about the upcoming event in New Kolland. Some who oppose the inclusion of the humanoids in the magocracy will refuse to attend, but curiosity is high about Prince Kol and New Kolland so many others will save the date in eager anticipation.
What the PCs can do: If part of Glantri's elite, make plans to party with the humanoids! Those without political connections may also find work helping to prepare for the big event or providing security during the party.
VATERMONT 9, 1012: Guess Who's Coming to New Kolland? Pt. 2
Location: Glantri City, Glantri
Description: Prince Kol continues to make preparations for his party this summer, and today the printed invitations he ordered are delivered to his residence in the capital. Looking everything over, Kol is glad that he chose the most expensive invitations and can't wait for the big day on Felmont 14. He summons his advisors to discuss sending the invitations out and is crestfallen when the group responds with head shakes and giggles.
"This date will never do, Your Grace" states Kol's spokesman. With his jaws aching from suppressing the urge to nip at his spokesman, the angry prince demands an explanation. Kol is informed that Felmont 14 is the national holiday of Belcadiz, the Feria de Toros. In the words of one advisor, it is "party suicide" to schedule any event that would have to compete against one of Princess Carnelia's legendary soirees.
What This Means: Kol continues to struggle with adjusting to being a Prince of Glantri. This time he sits down with his Glantrian advisors, and the date for the party is changed to Felmont 7. The group even hatches a plot for Kol to claim the printer used the wrong font on the original invitations, and thus demand the reprint at no charge.
Unfortunately Kol's day is only headed downhill from here - the next item on his agenda is confronting Lady Teurac about the exorbitant bill he just received from the jeweler Gaillard's. At least he can deploy a good nip to force his mate into submission if need be, unlike his human staff who make such a big deal over even the tiniest bites.
What the PCs can do: If one of Prince Kol's advisors, help the Prince navigate the pitfalls of Glantrian politics & commerce.
PCs who work at one of the capital's high-end stores may have an opportunity to earn the friendship of Lady Teurac (and the enmity of Prince Kol if they encourage too many purchases), who apparently has developed a taste for the finer things that Glantri City has to offer.
YARTHMONT 16, 1012: Guess Who's Coming to New Kolland? Pt. 3
Location: Glantrian embassy, Thyatis City, Thyatis
Description: An official from the Imperial Palace visits the embassy this morning with questions regarding a strange (but fancy!) invitation delivered to the palace by courier. It seems that Emperor Eusebius & Empress Lucianna have been invited by Prince Constantin Diocletius to a party in New Kolland on Felmont 7. The palace official is a bit put out, as the invitation was at first considered a possible security threat and it took the Foreign Ministry all afternoon yesterday to figure out that it was sent by the newest Prince of Glantri, the kobold Kol XIV.
The embassy official is baffled as well, and the two bureaucrats go together to the Ambassador's study. There they find Dame Catherine d'Ambreville engaged in her normal morning routine, drinking gin and throwing darts at pictures of various d'Ambreville family members on the wall. The Ambassador is a bit cross to have her fun disturbed but looks at the invitation and shakes her head, she knows nothing of it either but promises to check with the Chancellor of the Princes, Urmahid Krinagar.
What This Means: Prince Kol is still new to diplomatic niceties and does not realize that all interactions with foreign nations must go through the Chancellery. He also apparently does not realize that he stands a better chance of being invited by the immortal Hierarchs to hold his party in Pandius than he does of the Thyatian Emperor paying a visit to New Kolland.
What the PCs can do: Likely nothing, unless hired as the courier to deliver Kol's invitation or if they are part of the staff at the Glantrian Embassy in Thyatis or the Thyatian Imperial Palace.
PCs who work for the Chancellery in Glantri City could also be involved when Prince Urmahid summons Prince Kol for a meeting to discuss how diplomacy is conducted in Glantri, or they might be assigned to New Kolland by the Chancellery to "assist" Kol with planning for his event and ensure that no further diplomatic faux pas occur.
FELMONT 7, 1012: Guess Who's Coming to New Kolland? Pt. 4
Location: Tower of Skoldar, New Kolland, Glantri
Description: Today marks the biggest social event so far in the short history of New Kolland, as Kol's party takes place. Both humanoid & Glantrian delicacies are served along with copious amounts of alcohol. After a tedious, yipping speech by Kol a statue of his ancestor the Great Skoldar is unveiled outside the Tower, and fortunately most of the crowd is able to suppress their laughter at the sight of a buff golden kobold, dressed as a Thyatian legionnaire and holding his sword aloft to the sky. After the unveiling, the popular Caurenzan band Bongiovi delights the crowd (rumored to have charged double their normal fee to perform in New Kolland) and the evening finishes with magical fireworks over the newly rechristened Tower of Skoldar.
Many lesser nobles and dignitaries of Glantri attend, mostly out of curiosity about the new Prince & Principality. Most Princes do not attend, but several who supported the enfeoffment of New Kolland do including Prince Malachie, Prince Innocenti and the rumored princely couple, Prince Jaggar & Princess Dolores. Casual observers note mainly that Princess Dolores is resplendent in her spider-silk gown by the hottest Thyatian designer, while those watching more carefully notice how Dolores and Malachie glare menacingly at one another and that Jaggar somehow seems to know his way around the Tower extremely well. Innocenti makes a grand entrance with his retinue of goblin food tasters trailing behind but then is thought to have left the party surprisingly early, until he is discovered by a servant the next morning asleep in an upstairs closet. He was dressed appropriately when seen the night before, but the sleeping prince now wears a Bramyran hat along with an ill-fitting Averoignian maid's uniform. When awakened he shrieks that the servant is trying to poison him, and teleports home to Sirecchia.
Thyatis' ambassador to Glantri Michele Karendas is also in attendance, and makes a point of telling Prince Kol that the Emperor sends his deepest regrets but he is simply too busy to leave the Empire at the moment. Slightly less diplomatically, Karendas mentions that if one wants to see the Emperor of Thyatis, one must go to him.
What This Means: Kol's party is a success, although unlikely to change many minds about the humanoids. Kol misinterprets the Thyatian ambassador's comments as an invitation for him to visit Emperor Eusebius in Thyatis, and he will contact the Chancellery tomorrow to inquire about making arrangements. Kol is looking especially forward to walking in the footsteps of the Great Skoldar in Thyatis, and is anxious to see the many historical sites no doubt dedicated to his esteemed ancestor.
What the PCs can do: If part of Glantri's elite, enjoy the party! Those without political connections may also find work as servers, translators, or security during the party. PCs might also be sent by another Glantrian noble to do quiet reconnaissance in New Kolland using the party as a cover to explain their presence there.
Those working for the Chancellery may be involved in the next headache for Prince Urmahid, trying to gently help Prince Kol understand that he has NOT been invited to pay a state visit to the Thyatian Emperor.