Intrigue in Court II [Fantasy Medieval/Politics/OOC]

[The Valyria Empire]

Then there's me, who's trying his best to protect said chair.

This image summarizes Roland's position

In CK2 terms the two plots are basically as follows.

Emma started an "Assassinate Emperor Brandon" plot, while Heimerich somehow started an "Install King Heimerich IV of Brennaberg in the Vexian Empire" faction despite having no claim to the title.

Wait, Heimerich is cheating. You can't start a faction to put yourself on that title without claim. Someone isn't playing Ironman Mode.

Anyway, I'll get a post up tomorrow detailing Roland retrieving the dude, and talking with Brandon in the Council Room. Also, I just noticed your post White Bluff, but Brandon already made his appearance. We just fast forwarded a little bit.

EDIT: Hey, Zelph. Since my character is still in love with Esmeralda, do you think you could provide more details on her. I feel she could be used as a tool against Roland, (since I set it up that way, it's hard to get the most honor bounded person to join your plot willingly) so I thought either an app or more details would be great for myself and other players.

[The Intergalactic Russian Empire]

In CK2 terms the two plots are basically as follows.

Emma started an "Assassinate Emperor Brandon" plot, while Heimerich somehow started an "Install King Heimerich IV of Brennaberg in the Vexian Empire" faction despite having no claim to the title.

While the Vexian Empire is being gangbanged by a coalition of HRE States Southern kingdoms and the Golden horder

Kinda funny to call the southern kingdoms HRE states when one of the people trying to coup has a German name, rules a kingdom whose name is similar to an IRL German state, and whose appearance image actually came from an HREmperor.

I guess Heimerich is playing with HPM and this is like the Byzantine Empire, because IIRC there's a random event in that mod where a powerful general will gain a claim on the Byzantine throne, or maybe I'm thinking of another mod.

Anyways, I'll get an opening post for Heimerich later. Might make an app for his more secretive wife first.

[White Bluff]

In CK2 terms the two plots are basically as follows.

Emma started an "Assassinate Emperor Brandon" plot, while Heimerich somehow started an "Install King Heimerich IV of Brennaberg in the Vexian Empire" faction despite having no claim to the title.

Wait, Heimerich is cheating. You can't start a faction to put yourself on that title without claim. Someone isn't playing Ironman Mode.

Anyway, I'll get a post up tomorrow detailing Roland retrieving the dude, and talking with Brandon in the Council Room. Also, I just noticed your post White Bluff, but Brandon already made his appearance. We just fast forwarded a little bit.

Oh I know, I had her get there after he left

[Khasinkonia]

Then there's me, who's trying his best to protect said chair.

This image summarizes Roland's position

In CK2 terms the two plots are basically as follows.

Emma started an "Assassinate Emperor Brandon" plot, while Heimerich somehow started an "Install King Heimerich IV of Brennaberg in the Vexian Empire" faction despite having no claim to the title.

Lady Emma’s pretty observant, as her stats would tell. It’s more “Assassinate Heimerich then clean up Brandon and Esmeralda later” for Lady Emma.

More or less “all the actual Ladies try to murder everyone else in the entire court and take all the power.”

[Kuhlfros]

Full Name: Eric 'Steelsides'
House (Family) Name: Steelsides
Other Monikers 'the Hammer', 'Hero of Argylli'
Title (if any): General
Sex: Male
Age: 47 Years
Appearance:

Court Role: Commander of the Northern Army
Social Class: Military
Backstory: Eric Steelsides, or merely Eric Steel as he was known in his childhood was a son of a blacksmith. A free man, but an impoverished villager nonetheless. In the beginning, it was quite simple, (it always is) Eric was a young boy with dreams of knighthood, rescuing fair maidens, defending the empire. In that time, the Empire was still at peace, raids in the Northern territories were far and few from between and Eric believed he could gain great fame and knighthood, play fighting with sticks as swords with other boys in the streets.

But that all changed with a sudden stroke of fate, a tribal raid. Northern tribesman rushed through the village, sacking, looting, burning and raping. Eric was but a boy who was trying to defend his home using a farming sickle. But as the raiders closed in on the villagers' last refuge, the little parish at the top of the hill, overlooking the village. His and the other mothers who had taken their children up there snuck all the children through a passageway to safety. Eric watched as his mother died, knowing full well that was the fate of his father too.

The children hid out in the forest for several days before residents of a nearby village came to see the remnants of the village, they found the orphans and took them to their village to be raised. But Eric was never satisfied with continuing the life his parents had led, he had greater dreams. And as soon as he was old enough to join, he left the village and entered the nearest recruiters station to join the Royal Army of Vexia.

Eric was trained to fight not as some raised levy but as a true professional soldier through a grueling boot camp. But he passed and at first was stationed at random military posts through the Empire but soon some action took Eric to the front lines. The Empire was intervening in wars outside its borders so that it's favored side (usually tributaries) would win. Eric joined these expeditionary armies and spent campaigns east, west, north, and south of the empire. In that time he earned the moniker 'Steelsides' as he stabbed by a spear in the thick of battle in his side and continued to fight, only taking the time to remove the deeply embedded spear once the fighting was over and the Empire had one. In the aftermath, Eric spent an entire month bedridden before returning to active duty where he was welcomed as 'Steelsides'. The respect from his peers gave him promotions to captain and more leeway in strategy which he surprisingly revealed to be deceptively good at.

He was continuously given more tactical oversight, even sometimes giving advice to his commanders. This peaked at the Battle of Argylli, which was a stalemated battle between the Empire and an army of the Southern kingdoms where Eric led a decisive, surprising charge deep into the enemy's frontlines which eventually broke the enemy, earning him the new monikers "the Hammer" and "Hero of Argylli". Eric was well on his way to knighthood it seems, so close, in fact, he was invited to noble balls and banquets in the region he was stationed. In that time he fell in love with a noble's daughter, who according to him was the most beautiful woman he ever met and had a rebellious heart like his own. He had courted her and shared his feelings, which she reciprocated. After months of gathering wealth and spending it on a plot of land, he asked the noble father of the woman he so dearly loved for her hand in marriage.

The said father laughed in Eric's face and proclaimed he would rather die than see his daughter married to a commoner. Angered, he swore he would return leading an army if he had to so as to take his love as his wife. That spite drove him to move up the ranks and he was given the title of commander at a young age. Indeed he did within a years time march back to that nobleman's castle, an army at his back and demand that his love married to him. But the shocked, yet smug noble declared she was engaged to a young lord far away and was to be married in the fortnight.

That night Eric snuck into the nobleman's home, and eloped with his love. They ran away together but the revenge of the nobleman was swift, while he couldn't get Eric and his daughter directly, he did have the pull to confiscate all of Eric's plots of land as well as most of his wealth, not to mention take him out of the running for being knighted, and tarnished his name amongst the nobility more than it was already as a commoner who eloped with a noblewoman. In his escape he was slashed across the eye by his wife's brother, leaving him with one functioning

Whever Eric was stationed, he and his wife were champions to the common soldier and the common folk, and always tried to help them when they could, and the more the nobility despised him for it, the more Eric became aware of the greed, self-service and arrogance of the aristocracy and despised them back. But still Eric's many military victories kept him moving up the ranks till he was a general of entire armies on the borders of the Empire. Allegedly he traveled with his love, and their children whom are known young adults (one may possibly be my second character) to sight see as the armies moved. Those were happier days.

Then on the outbreak of the Khuphate incursion, Eric was visiting the commander of the Eastern Front among the other high leaders when a mass of dust appeared on the horizon. Eric assisted as he could but the Eastern Army was shocked and overwhelmed, and his Northern Army was leagues away, eventually more and more of his men were drawn to fight in the east, and the supply lines to the north thinned as to supply the east as well, and never once was Eric, the Hero of Argylli called to support the fight on the east or back to the capital to advise the Emperor or Royal Marshal. His anger reached new heights when his beloved suddenly died of a fever which Eric was certain was poison from her vengeful nobleman father.

Eric had made his way from commoner to Commander with sheer tenacity and deceitful cunning and was known for his gruff, fiery demeanor making him popular to his soldiers and the common people whom he often championed. His popularity to his army was so great that in truth the Northern Army didn't fight for the Empire, they fought loyally for 'Old Steelsides' Eric 'the Hammer'. He was known among the generals for his deceitful and cunning nature, taking unorthodox and new methods of fighting to beat the enemy, even if it meant playing their own game. It always seemed in battle Eric was two steps ahead of his opposing commander.

Amongst others he is a populist icon and war hero favored by the soldiers, those facts helped keep him from being purged like the other high military commanders at the arrival of the King of Brennaberg as Royal Marshal because even they knew, if Eric was to leave, even willingly from service, his Northern Army would follow.

While he wasn't removed from authority, he was regularly receiving less and less supplies and troops, not given any offensive or defensive tactics to take on the growing strength of the tribes or made use to provide extra support on the eastern front, all possibly to prevent Eric from gaining any more gravitas and influence over the Army. Upon Learning of the death of the old Emperor and the call, Eric took it up to provide resistance against the schemes of others...but that isn't t say Eric isn't pragmatic and doesn't have schemes of his own.


Stewardship: 0 (Eric has little use for the logistics and money management, that is left to the quartermasters)
Intrigue: 5 (The Hannibal Barca of the Vexian Military)
Martial: 15 (Base 5+10) (A legendary leader, who through only his respect as a strategist and tactician prevented him from being replaced by the Marshal)
Diplomacy: 2 (No highly educated man, and still struggles to read, but he can deliver a gruff and fiery speech to inspire soldiers and peaseantry)
Renown: 3 (Accounting for his high respect by the peasantry, but the distaste held by the nobility of the peasant who defends the entirety of the Empire's south)

TRACKING PURPOSES: Indiana

I come bearing the gifts of a populist military commander and thorn in the side of the Marshal of the Royal Army...Sorry Russia I couldn't resist

[The Intergalactic Russian Empire]

In CK2 terms the two plots are basically as follows.

Emma started an "Assassinate Emperor Brandon" plot, while Heimerich somehow started an "Install King Heimerich IV of Brennaberg in the Vexian Empire" faction despite having no claim to the title.

Lady Emma’s pretty observant, as her stats would tell. It’s more “Assassinate Heimerich then clean up Brandon and Esmeralda later” for Lady Emma.

More or less “all the actual Ladies try to murder everyone else in the entire court and take all the power.”

Heimerich's step by step plan to take power

1. Convince Marshal of the Golden Falcons to join
2. bring Royal Steward over with talks of freedom
3. ???
4. March army into capital unopposed
5. Arrest opposition
6. Coronation
7. Move capital to Brennaberg because that place isn't as crumbling
8. conquer everything (can't have your borders threatened if you annex all bordering nations *taps head*)

Thankfully, he'll have is wife there to make sure the plan is more streamlined (like figuring out what goes between steps 2 and 4)

[The Valyria Empire]

Lady Emma’s pretty observant, as her stats would tell. It’s more “Assassinate Heimerich then clean up Brandon and Esmeralda later” for Lady Emma.

More or less “all the actual Ladies try to murder everyone else in the entire court and take all the power.”

Heimerich's step by step plan to take power

1. Convince Marshal of the Golden Falcons to join
2. bring Royal Steward over with talks of freedom
3. ???
4. March army into capital unopposed
5. Arrest opposition
6. Coronation
7. Move capital to Brennaberg because that place isn't as crumbling
8. conquer everything (can't have your borders threatened if you annex all bordering nations *taps head*)

Thankfully, he'll have is wife there to make sure the plan is more streamlined (like figuring out what goes between steps 2 and 4)

Aye, but there's some faults in your plan. Let's say you get pass Roland and any remaining loyalists. There's still the issue of the other great vassals. With your coronation, I could easily see the Southern Kingdoms and the Northern Kingdom (plus the Blue Horde and the Warden of the Southern Marches) rising up in revolt (either to side with the royalist or possibly break free from this dying Empire). With this, you have war on three sides as I bet the Khuphate could then swoop in seeing the chaos as a great ladder.

You're going to need to get those vassals on your side as well.

[Erhialam]

Heimerich's step by step plan to take power

1. Convince Marshal of the Golden Falcons to join
2. bring Royal Steward over with talks of freedom
3. ???
4. March army into capital unopposed
5. Arrest opposition
6. Coronation
7. Move capital to Brennaberg because that place isn't as crumbling
8. conquer everything (can't have your borders threatened if you annex all bordering nations *taps head*)

Thankfully, he'll have is wife there to make sure the plan is more streamlined (like figuring out what goes between steps 2 and 4)

Aye, but there's some faults in your plan. Let's say you get pass Roland and any remaining loyalists. There's still the issue of the other great vassals. With your coronation, I could easily see the Southern Kingdoms and the Northern Kingdom (plus the Blue Horde and the Warden of the Southern Marches) rising up in revolt (either to side with the royalist or possibly break free from this dying Empire). With this, you have war on three sides as I bet the Khuphate could then swoop in seeing the chaos as a great ladder.

You're going to need to get those vassals on your side as well.

The way I imagine it, Sha'beesh probably has a fairly large stake as well. I guess I'm just trying to figure out where its sympathies would lie in this mess.

[The Protacan-Anzotac Peoples]

Full Name: Richard Aravian
House (Family) Name: House Aravian
Title (if any): Lord;Internal Affairs Minister ; High Warden of The East
Sex: Male
Age: 36
Appearence: Tall (Approx. 6'4) male, light skinned, silky dark hair, attractive green eyes, slightly muscular body.
Court Role: Internal Affairs Minister ; Addressed as 'Lord/Lady Minister', in charge of handling the affairs of the empire, from lowly crimes to armed assaults. The Ministry of Affairs is a state funded branch that makes sure everything stays in order and peace. They are usually a noble with a high intelligence level that knows how to resolve major and minor issues all together and can give the best advice to make sure a problem doesn't occur again. It also is in charge of policing emergency management, national security and the supervision of local administration. It receives a hefty salary and is a position of renown.

Social Class: Noble
Backstory: Richard, the current Warden of The East, annointed Lord Minister, Lord of Darkdell, and Lord of House Aravian is the eldest son of the late Lord Matthew and Lady Elisa Aravian. House Aravian rules in the east, earning its title 'Warden' from the eastern clans and groups hailing Aravian as their liege. House Aravian rules from the beautiful palace of Darkdell, a strong, decorated fort of solitude. Lord Matthew Aravian had two sons, one was stillborn while Richard lived as a newborn, Matthew made sure his only son and future was heavily protected, and vigorously healthy. Richard had no friends, was privately tutored, and had 9 guardsman around his bed at night to 'protect' him. Lady Elisa, Richard's mother, proclaimed she was going on a trip but never came back. Matthew lived in despair and strictness, Richard struggled with most subjects, but learned to read, write but flourished in administrative ideals and management. Matthew saw this as a way to guarantee House Aravian's future and travelled to show the empereor of the boy's abilities, the empereor was happy about this and stated when Richard turn 18 he'd be the first lord minister. Around 17, Richard's father died of a stroke and the High Priest coronated Richard as "Lord of House Aravian, Warden of The Eastern Provinces, and Lord of Darkdell". He managed well alongside a group of advisers and councillors. And at 18 he was named the Lord Minister and spent most of his time residing at the empereor's palace handling internal affairs and resolving the emperor's request and problems . His priest rules when he isn't there but recently started doing work at his holdfast while handling eastern affairs and spending 14 hours in court everyday hearing and complying with his fellow subjects request, demands, and comments. The Eastern Provinces were taken by House Aravian through a series of battles..At first, the provinces of the east denied Aravian's power but they themselves could barely maintain on to their groups due to always fighting a war which was the perfect chance for Aravian to rise up, in which they did, Lord Justin Aravian, raised 11,000 levies and marched towards the retaliative provinces and demanded their fealty, they denied and raised 7,000 eager men and boys to fight against the Aravians. The provinces fought hard, but their biggest flaw was fighting on open land which led to their defeat of the war and swore fealty towards the Aravians, making them sole rulers of the east as wardens under the 'Empire of Vexia'. However we lost a good portion of our land due to the invading Khuphate but able to hold on to the majority, they have raided our country side and the struggle to hold on to the east is rising, in the past months they have began rallying and more than likely plan to prepare an attack on whats left of the east. (We still control a huge portion, but due to their agility, intelligence, and tactics we lost a big portion and currently still try and fight them off)

Stewardship: 3 (Nobility Class) +6 - 8
Intrigue: 2 (Nobility Class)
Martial: 4
Diplomacy: 9
Renown: 7 (Nobility Class)

TRACKING PURPOSES: India

LOCATION APPLICATION
Name of Place: Darkdell
Description: A strong holdfast with three layers, considerably large, steel gates, consist of mostly dwellings, a church house, palace, lesser nobility residential homes, barracks, infirmary, and more. Largely decorated with statues, vine decorations, etc making it the most beautiful area in the East. Outside are a network of towns, cities, villages, etc.
Populace: Approx. 20,000
Part of: The Empire of Vexia, House Aravian.

[The Intergalactic Russian Empire]

Heimerich's step by step plan to take power

1. Convince Marshal of the Golden Falcons to join
2. bring Royal Steward over with talks of freedom
3. ???
4. March army into capital unopposed
5. Arrest opposition
6. Coronation
7. Move capital to Brennaberg because that place isn't as crumbling
8. conquer everything (can't have your borders threatened if you annex all bordering nations *taps head*)

Thankfully, he'll have is wife there to make sure the plan is more streamlined (like figuring out what goes between steps 2 and 4)

Aye, but there's some faults in your plan. Let's say you get pass Roland and any remaining loyalists. There's still the issue of the other great vassals. With your coronation, I could easily see the Southern Kingdoms and the Northern Kingdom (plus the Blue Horde and the Warden of the Southern Marches) rising up in revolt (either to side with the royalist or possibly break free from this dying Empire). With this, you have war on three sides as I bet the Khuphate could then swoop in seeing the chaos as a great ladder.

You're going to need to get those vassals on your side as well.

Yeah, more than two people will need to be swayed, but those guys were the ones I could think of. Chelubey and Heimerich have fought together in the past so he might be able to convince him, maybe. King Janos has the seeds of doubt, but I think he would be harder to turn. Heimerich probably cannot get both Tamir-Daan and Huwihaw on his side, seeing as the latter is the one who sacked the former's home city and made him a slave. Roland is probably unturnable, so he'd be better dead or imprisoned.

[ApplePieistan]

Heimerich's step by step plan to take power

1. Convince Marshal of the Golden Falcons to join
2. bring Royal Steward over with talks of freedom
3. ???
4. March army into capital unopposed
5. Arrest opposition
6. Coronation
7. Move capital to Brennaberg because that place isn't as crumbling
8. conquer everything (can't have your borders threatened if you annex all bordering nations *taps head*)

Thankfully, he'll have is wife there to make sure the plan is more streamlined (like figuring out what goes between steps 2 and 4)

Aye, but there's some faults in your plan. Let's say you get pass Roland and any remaining loyalists. There's still the issue of the other great vassals. With your coronation, I could easily see the Southern Kingdoms and the Northern Kingdom (plus the Blue Horde and the Warden of the Southern Marches) rising up in revolt (either to side with the royalist or possibly break free from this dying Empire). With this, you have war on three sides as I bet the Khuphate could then swoop in seeing the chaos as a great ladder.

You're going to need to get those vassals on your side as well.

Don’t forget the peasant wildcard! We hate the royals, but I’m sure we hate conquerors more!

[The Protacan-Anzotac Peoples]

GOD DAMNIT! I wish I knew a NPC controlled the East before I made my application...

Edit: I edited my app a bit so it should be fine now...I hope.

[Tertuath Hath]

Oh boy, I look away for a smidge and the ooc explodes

[Khasinkonia]

Aye, but there's some faults in your plan. Let's say you get pass Roland and any remaining loyalists. There's still the issue of the other great vassals. With your coronation, I could easily see the Southern Kingdoms and the Northern Kingdom (plus the Blue Horde and the Warden of the Southern Marches) rising up in revolt (either to side with the royalist or possibly break free from this dying Empire). With this, you have war on three sides as I bet the Khuphate could then swoop in seeing the chaos as a great ladder.

You're going to need to get those vassals on your side as well.

Don’t forget the peasant wildcard! We hate the royals, but I’m sure we hate conquerors more!

If you help the good Lady Emma we could see about arranging a few rights for the peasantry on the side...

[ApplePieistan]

Don’t forget the peasant wildcard! We hate the royals, but I’m sure we hate conquerors more!

If you help the good Lady Emma we could see about arranging a few rights for the peasantry on the side...

I ain’t poisoning anyone, if that’s what you want.

[White Bluff]

I would like say that I love that over half of the court is technically plotting to kill the Emperor, or someone at least close to the Emperor.

[Khasinkonia]

If you help the good Lady Emma we could see about arranging a few rights for the peasantry on the side...

I ain’t poisoning anyone, if that’s what you want.

Let her chef take care of our dear friend Heimerich’s meals for a while and we’ll sort him out by the end of the year...

[ApplePieistan]

I ain’t poisoning anyone, if that’s what you want.

Let her chef take care of our dear friend Heimerich’s meals for a while and we’ll sort him out by the end of the year...

What kinds of rights are we talking about?

[Khasinkonia]

Let her chef take care of our dear friend Heimerich’s meals for a while and we’ll sort him out by the end of the year...

What kinds of rights are we talking about?

Perhaps some extra worker protections, less using peasants as meat shields, really, up to you to an extent. Choose the new rights carefully.

[ApplePieistan]

What kinds of rights are we talking about?

Perhaps some extra worker protections, less using peasants as meat shields, really, up to you to an extent. Choose the new rights carefully.

Can I be appointed royal steward?

[Flowerdell]

Full Name: Edward Atwood
House (Family) Name: Atwood
Title (if any): Lord Ambassador (in the Empire), Prince (back home)
Sex: Male
Age: 21
Appearance:

Court Role: Ambassador from the Southern Kingdom of Albion
Social Class: Royalty
Backstory: Edward was born the 2nd son and 3rd child of his father King James in the royal palace, the birth was expected by no one as most through the Queen was incapable of bearing anymore children and if she did her weak constitution would almost certainly mean her death but this was not so and he was born without a hitch. All through his early life he became a stark contrast to his brother, his father once quipped to him "You're brother will start the wars and you will smooth them over" This lesson has stuck with Edward and through the years he has often he a great mediator.

Problems began to arise however, in the Kingdom the throne always stayed with one family but he nobility decided the member it went to. They almost always went with the first born son but Edward was proving immensely more popular with the nobility than his war mongering brother, so to prevent the outcome of Edward becoming King the aging King decided that the court should be did if him to allow his brother to show his true strenght. So the next day he made the nation's ambassador to the Empire, a role laughed at by many as everyone knew his father was more eager than most to take a bight out of said empire. Still he did his duty and has for 2 years now has served as ambassador all so his brother can bribe the nobles whilst Edward is not around to protest.

As ambassador he has done everything he can to promote good relations seeing a benefit to allying with the empire instead of trying to to invade it although this message has fallen in deaf ears in his militaristic homeland.

Stewardship: 5 (2+3)
Intrigue: 5
Martial: 0
Diplomacy: 12 (10+2)
Renown: 7 (3+4)

TRACKING PURPOSES: Indiana

[The Intergalactic Russian Empire]

I would like say that I love that over half of the court is technically plotting to kill the Emperor, or someone at least close to the Emperor.

Just as is intended for this RP. Wouldn't be fun if the court was full of bootlickers like Roland.

Also, I probably don't need to mention this, but at the start I'd like it if people weren't aware of Heimerich's plans. They can have a hunch that something's up with him, but I don't want to go it with people already knowing my plan or anything.

[The Valyria Empire]

I would like say that I love that over half of the court is technically plotting to kill the Emperor, or someone at least close to the Emperor.

Just as is intended for this RP. Wouldn't be fun if the court was full of bootlickers like Roland.

Also, I probably don't need to mention this, but at the start I'd like it if people weren't aware of Heimerich's plans. They can have a hunch that something's up with him, but I don't want to go it with people already knowing my plan or anything.

I think that goes without saying. Like nobody knows Emma is planning to kill the Emperor, only a few might know that she wishes she had the throne.

Also, I like how you call Roland a bootlicker cause...

Full Name: Prince Roland, "The Emperor's Sword", "The Wolfknight", "The Emperor's Bootlicker", "The Wolf Fucker"

[Reverend Norv]

Don’t forget the peasant wildcard! We hate the royals, but I’m sure we hate conquerors more!

If you help the good Lady Emma we could see about arranging a few rights for the peasantry on the side...

This offer could potentially swing Martin - and therefore the whole Church, and therefore probably the majority of the common people - behind a change of regime. It would depend on the details, though.

[The Intergalactic Russian Empire]

Just as is intended for this RP. Wouldn't be fun if the court was full of bootlickers like Roland.

Also, I probably don't need to mention this, but at the start I'd like it if people weren't aware of Heimerich's plans. They can have a hunch that something's up with him, but I don't want to go it with people already knowing my plan or anything.

I think that goes without saying. Like nobody knows Emma is planning to kill the Emperor, only a few might know that she wishes she had the throne.

Also, I like how you call Roland a bootlicker cause...

Full Name: Prince Roland, "The Emperor's Sword", "The Wolfknight", "The Emperor's Bootlicker", "The Wolf Fucker"

That's exactly why I called him a bootlicker.