Introduction to Johari

Though her skin was light brown like willow bark, Johari came from a proud lineage of settlers in Undrek, and could trace a lineage going back to the first brick being laid in the town. She was as proud a denizen of your domain as you could hope to ask for. Granted, in most counties, being a necromancer wouldn't be seen as a profession to be especially proud of, but then, Undrek wasn't most counties.

Although she had a markedly severe aspect, with her hair usually kept in a bun and her lips pressed tight, Johari was really quite beautiful herself, a particularly tall woman whose severe expression was usually noticed only after the onlooker (especially if male) had stared at her bountifully bouncing bosom and the rest of her hourglass figure cradled by a slinky black dress first. In contrast to Captain Aeson she always sat sharply bolt-upright, all the better to condescendingly look down on those whose logic she was about to poke holes in.

Part of the reason for Undrek's peculiar philosophies of governance was because it had changed hands relatively peacefully a number of times throughout the years ('relatively' in this context meant "no one group of settlers had ever been expelled or wiped out completely"). Some had come from Thessia, others from the more civilized lands to the north. Stories said that the first, however, had been far-ranging nomads wandering far from their homes whose origins were lost to history. It was for this reason, and the famous 'openness' to travelers, that humans in Undrek displayed a variety of skin tones (sometimes within the same family) despite having a seemingly homogeneous culture.

What was known, however, is that these ancient first settlers were avid practitioners of necromancy and esteemed it above all other forms of magic, actually considering it holy. Hundreds of years ago there had been an inquisition about it, and for the moment, the actual 'Order of the Corpus' (as they sometimes called their religious beliefs) was confined to Undrek.

Though unwelcome in most places, these necromancers still wielded great economic and cultural influence in Undrek, being associated with what passed for patrician families here in the south, like Johari's. They were the ones that insisted upon Undrek always being ruled by a countess and never passing under direct rule by a man. Aside from that, they offered a generally contrarian opinion on morality in general. Purity of lineage, martial honor and bravery, fidelity and loyalty to king and kingdom... these were all considered foolishness in the eyes of the Order. What others would call greed, cowardice, and moral weakness, they considered to be signs of strength and enlightened self interest.

That said, there were good reasons that the citizens of Undrek viewed them positively. The necromancers were masterful doctors and chirurgeons, thanks to the detailed studies of humanoid anatomy and physiology they performed with none of the taboos or ethics that would hold them back in other cities. The rates of deaths from common fever, childbirth and childhood diseases, and minor injuries becoming infected were impressively low here. The other side of their medical knowledge was that many of the most dangerous and unsanitary professions were taken over by the shambling dead under their thrall. By custom, such monstrosities were only permitted to walk the streets and go about their grim business at night so respectable citizens didn't have to see them.

Johari, as always, was quite ready to offer you all the advice you could handle. "I know that you might not see it as a near-term concern, but the luring away of our youth by other nobles passing through, such as the Count of Luxem, is simply intolerable. I realize that lords leading companies of troops bring coin to Undrek's inns and alehouses, but they must stop being allowed to take advantage of our people's status as free men and women to poach our townsfolk. By my count, no less than 200 young men left Undrek over the past year to serve as men-at-arms in other domains, and four-score women left pursuing marriage offers."

"And what do you want me to do about it?" you asked with a sniff.

"It should be obvious!" Johari got to her feet and put her palms on the table. "Start getting an agreement in writing to certain ground rules with any lord who passes through Undrek! You've been far too accommodating with them historically, Zoe."

In private, Johari - like many necromancers - refused to use your title and spoke to you as a peer, for their order philosophically disclaimed the authority of the nobility.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" You gave her a challenging sidelong glance. Like you, Johari was newly appointed to a position of great responsibility for a young woman, and eager to prove herself - as a result you often butted heads. "Some of your forebears and mine had the same idea about signing pacts, Johari, and you ought to know well that I was expected to be very 'accommodating' indeed as soon as I turned 18 on account of such a longstanding agreement."

Adjusting her glasses, Johari looked down, not wanting to go too far in challenging your authority. "Apologies, I don't mean to imply... that is, I was referring to your political stances... Countess." she sighed, using your title grudgingly and distastefully.

"But surely you understand that, like all living things, the county of Undrek must grow and advance, or else become unfit and decrepit. If you were to get the various duchies and counties to stop charging exorbitant fares for the use of their roads and recognize that mutual trade will be better for all of us-" Johari got no further before she was cut off.

"So in other words," Marzena chimes in, "you have the same barely-concealed ambitions as Aeson, you just have a much more dry and boring way of going about it."

"Ahem," Johari said, deflecting. "Of course, the decision is up to our, hmph, 'Countess'. Out of recognition for Undrek's limited leverage, it would likely be best for her to focus on pursuing one of these matters over the next week."

"Indeed," Aeson adds. "Best to carefully choose your tool of influence, Countess. I suspect you will want to be well-armed, figuratively speaking, for the months ahead. Even if Bryce proves to be a wise king, and that very much remains to be seen, there are a dozen little intrigues and conflicts on the verge of bubbling over. So - to come back to what you were telling all of us at the beginning - I, Marzena, and Johari all promise to be on our best behaviors and keep our heads down while our humble little town is receiving guests, and leave the intrigue to you, mi'lady."