Maxstoke Castle, favored estate of the Duke of Buckingham

[Dirty Chai]

In Warwickshire. The main residence of the Duke of Buckingham.

Dukedom: Buckingham
Earldoms: Stafford
Lordships: Maxstoke, Ongar, Tonbridge, Oakham, Thornbury, Brecon, Caus, and Stamford

The Staffords in the middle of the 15th century

Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham, born 1402, died 1460. Married one Anne Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland. - Humphrey Stafford, styled "Earl of Stafford", born 1425, died 1458. Married one Margaret Beaufort, daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset. - Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, born 1454. - Humphrey Stafford, born 1457. Ward of Elizabeth Woodville. - John Stafford, Lord Stamford, born 1427. Married to one Constance Green, daughter of one Sir Henry Green. - Edward Stafford, born 1473. - Henry Stafford, born 1429, died in 1464. - Edward Stafford, born 1432, died in 1463. - Catherine Stafford, born 1437. Married to John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury. - John Talbot, born 1468. Died 1473. - William Talbot, born 1472. Died 1473. - Elizabeth Talbot, born 1473. - John Talbot, born 1474. - George Stafford, born 1439. Twin to William Stafford. - William Stafford, born 1439. Twin to George Stafford. - Joan Stafford, born 1442. Died 1474. Married William Beaumont, 2nd Viscount Beaumont. - Anne Stafford, born 1446. Married to Aubrey de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford. - Elizabeth de Vere, born 1464. - Margaret Stafford, born 1448. Married to Sir William Stanley. - Alice Stanley, born 1471. Died 1473. - Henry Stanley, born 1472.

Buildings

Buckinghamshire
- Tier II: Medium Mine, gain access to Stone resource, +5% Income
- Tier II: Lumber Camp, gain access to Wood resource, +5% Income
- Tier I: Grain Mill, +5% income, +1 Charisma
- Tier I: Market Square, +5% income

Bonuses

• Staffordshire:
  
  • Royal Forests: Staffordshire is known for being home to two large royal forests, Kinver and Cannock. Besides being quality hunting reserves that a bored sovereign could spend hours in, these forests obviously obstruct enemy advances and are difficult for even experienced scouts to navigate. -2 to enemy's scouting rolls, -1 to the controller's death rolls.

• Buckinghamshire:
  
  • Chiltern Quarries: Southern Buckinghamshire is dominated by the Chiltern Hills, the highest of which are Coome & Haddington Hills. This area is also known for its resources, and so extensive quarrying operations have been undertaken to extract the chalk, clay, gravel, sand and flint here. Although not valuable in the same way as gold and gems, Buckinghamshire's resources are of obvious use in construction work. -10% Building costs.

Military

Militias
1,000 Average Militia for Staffordshire
1,000 Average Militia for Buckinghamshire

Livery and Maintenance
800 Men-at-Arms

Retinue
200 Knights

[The Mad Skylord]

Stanley arrives to Stafford Castle, hoping to meet the Duke.

[Dirty Chai]

The titular King of Mann is welcomed into the moated castle, one of the most upkept in all of England, having been refurbished in the past decade by the old Duke. Stanley is informed that the Duke of Buckingham is in London, but that he is free to meet with his uncle, Sir John Stafford, who can represent on the Duke's behalf.

[The Mad Skylord]

Thomas Stanley bowed easily to Sir Stafford, quickly getting to the point. "Sir John, I am here to see if I can arrange a marriage between our houses. A marriage between Lady Margaret and my son William would benefit both of us."

[Dirty Chai]

John was a middle-aged man now, but he had a straight-backed healthiness to him that made him seem perhaps a decade younger. His hair was still of healthy brown, not even a bit of salt or pepper. He was fairly tall, but nothing to gawk at.

He stood before the guest curiously and collected his hands behind his back.
"My sister, Margaret, and your son, William.." John repeated to himself, eyes seemingly staring at either Stanley or nothing, as he thought.
The knight refocused after a moment and answered fully. "I am willing to hear such a proposal, on behalf of my nephew, the Duke."

[The Mad Skylord]

"Excellent!" Stanley said brightly. "William is a tall, fair haired, handsome and clever lad - although he holds little love for the sea. I am sure lady Margaret will like him. Would you like to meet him, Sir John? He is waiting in the hall."

Stanley was similar to John Stafford, but in a different way. He was coming up on his 60th birthday, but he still held his head nobly. He had a long beard and his hair was swept back into a pony tail. There wasn't a bit of colour in his hair - it was stark grey. He held his cane in his left hand, and it was this he leaned on now as he awaited an answer.

[Dirty Chai]

John made an amused smile.
"I'm confident every father would say that about his son. No offence has been intended, however, Derby."

Then he stiffened his posture, losing the smile again.
"I would like to meet the young man. But later we must also talk on contractual matters, to see if our families are of the properly similar mindset."

[The Mad Skylord]

Stanley chuckled easily. "None taken, Sir Stafford. It would perhaps be worse if I wasn't saying that about him"

William Stanley walked in nervously, a servant having been sent to get him. As Stanley had said, he was tall, handsome and fair haired, but he had neglected to say that William had always been the gentlest of his sons, having studied at Oxford. He had earned his spurs in battle - as was expected of him - but it was a task he had hated and often been sick over. He bowed his head to Sir John respectfully. "Greetings, Sir. I am Sir William Stanley, at your service."

[Dirty Chai]

John Stafford nodded to the fair haired earl of the Stanleys. He was indeed fair haired and agreeably handsome. Margaret would have no issues there.

But that was no concern of his. He glanced back to Lord Stanley.
"How old are you, sir William?"

[The Mad Skylord]

"I am 29 this year, Sir John. I just finished my studies at Oxford a year ago, which delayed my taking of a wife."

[Dirty Chai]

"Oxford?" John parroted, glancing between both Stanleys. He readjusted his straight-backed stance again.
"You're a well-established young man, then. What did you study at Oxford?"

[The Mad Skylord]

William smiled a little. "I have a Master of Arts in the Aristotle field of Physics. I had intended going on to complete a degree in Medicine, but I was called home. My brothers are running off to join Father's new Royal Navy. Someone needs to run the homestead and father" William shot a remorseful glance at Lord Stanley "refuses to hire a steward."

Stanley raised an eyebrow. "Why waste money on a Steward when I have a well educated son to do it for me?"

[Dirty Chai]

And this man will be the next Lord Stanley? pondered John. He relaxed, feeling he had done his initial vetting duty properly enough for now.

The Stafford nodded thoughtfully before speaking again. "Yes, I believe I can arrange a meeting of the two."

[Oznerol]

Stafford is told to prepare his properties, the court may pay him a lenghty visit during this summer's royal progress. The Queen sends her best wishes and a physician to look for the duke's health. The physician is said to recommend rigurous leeching to cure even minor illnesses, it would do Stafford well; he's to report to the Queen of Buckingham's health. She is deeply concerned by his well-being.

[Dirty Chai]

Henry Stafford avoided the physician, never letting him see him once. Every day there was an excuse or obstruction, and between the Duke's chamberlain blocking his way to the Duke and there being little to no attendance to him from the Stafford household (completely ignored!), the physician eventually left out of frustration.

[Oznerol]

Sometime later Thomas Grey arrived from Bradgate, where he had been living for some time, with a fashionably large retinue.

[Dirty Chai]

The castle faced eastwards, its bridge crossing the moat into the eastern hinterland. At the far end of the small fortress were huddled the great hall and hearths of the lord of the castle, with the lord's house being a large, half-timbered structure of new design. The manorial keep stretched along the inside of the war wall, with the kitchen and servant quarters at the southwestern corner, underneath one of the bastion towers which they came to call the kitchen tower.

As Winchester crossed over the bridge (Stafford couldn't stop the Queen's son) with his followers, Henry swore profusely, looking out a window from his chambers in the northwest. A servant was just finishing dressing him, and now he had to go and greet the man. Or..

He looked over his shoulder, considering for a moment whether he could flee out a postern gate. Anything to avoid Grey, who had followed him even out to Warwickshire, halfway to Scotland. The young Duke frowned gloomily then, knowing he had to entertain this man.

The middle section of the Maxstroke castle's halls was a large brick center, with a large chimney. A great hall, with a hearth. There Lord Grey was led, up onto the second floor, up wooden stairs and into a larger room heated by a crackling fire. The Duke stood there waiting for him as he reached the landing, with some men on his sides - his uncles or retainers. Perhaps both.

The Duke wore a simple, dark red livery coat with little bronze string ends shaped like little flowers.

[Oznerol]

With tall riding boots and a close-fit leather doublet, Thomas Grey entered the room. He wore a ragged staff badge, which once had been a symbol of the Kingmaker, Grey's father-in-law. Winchester removed his hat and bows.

"Your Grace, I am glad to see you well, my mother send word to Bladgate regarding a grievous illness of yours. However it seems you recovered quickly; I am relieved to witness it"

He frowns.

Too quickly.

"I rode all the way from Leicestershire, but to be honest some manors in Warwickshire required my supervision as well"

[Dirty Chai]

Your mother?

Stafford blinked.

Mm, the queen.

He recalled last month's news; The trial had gone in favor of Woodeville. The duke suppressed a deep frown; that news had come as a surprise to him - the daughter of the most powerful magnate in the north, replaced by.. a knight's widow.

Not that I care.

"A terrible shame then that you have ridden all this way to miss my moment of weakness," Henry remarked, sardonic already.

[Oznerol]

"Oh well, well... by Saint Crispin, we can now go hunting, my Lord!"

Said Grey with a mischevous smile.

"I bet your Grace's has some bountiful grounds for game in these lands, as any respectable lord would"

He rubs his hands, clad in soft leather gloves.