July 1638 - Day 114

Martti was still on his way to the battlefields in the south, when, to his very great surprise, he met HE Princess Roopatra of Neverland on a gold Unicorn "Star" that she had owned since the 1400s. Never before spoken to a Princess, Martti sends a message via his page:

HE The Princess;  The Pistol contest rules are now known and my calculations show it is quite possible to win the disciplines 1 & 2 (ones not involving the army). I have most of the equipment and am in the best bonus health range (30-45). If YE would kindly consider the following profit sharing proposal: there is a SAPX and DIA5, conservatively 200 mil total value, as prizes. If either of both of these is won, we split the selling price. Your share of the costs would be a mere 10 mil + I could use the H9 [the Unicorn mentioned]. I even have an ancient suit and willing to risk it for the fame!

Audience was admitted and the following conversation ensued:
[1:05pm] Roopatra: Martti you would wish to borrow 10mil and my dearest horse Star (H9) during the festivities?

[1:05pm] KnightMartti: No Ma'am,

[1:06pm] Roopatra: I wonder with all that shooting action if my horse Star is in any danger?

[1:06pm] KnightMartti: I would like to receive 10 mil outright, no refund, and the horse would be in my use for the Horseback contest only

[1:06pm] KnightMartti: The King’s announcement said only the suit is in danger.

[1:07pm] KnightMartti: There cannot be any danger galloping around the Jousting Ground in 1-W, shooting from the hip, if the King says so…

[1:07pm] KnightMartti: With spectators pacified by 1000s of liters of wine

[1:08pm] Roopatra: Haha

[1:08pm] KnightMartti: The horse under the rider is surely the best preserved thing in the town at that moment!

[1:08pm] KnightMartti: My H4 is at your disposal during this of course.

[1:09pm] KnightMartti: What could be more noble than winning the diamond for the Princess!

[1:10pm] KnightMartti: Or the Large Sapphire (5ct diamond is in the sharpshooting..)

[1:10pm] Roopatra: Martti you would want to keep that 10mil, and to borrow my dear horse and return it unharmed after the tournament, ride victoriously  and split any winnings 50/50?

[1:11pm] KnightMartti: I don’t know about other winnings as those may be pooled with other stuff and it may be difficult to split equitably the amounts of the lesser win pool tickets. But the winners of the 3 contests enter the DIA10 pool.

[1:11pm] KnightMartti: If that is won, I propose you will keep it and I will keep the lesser stone, no 50/50.

[1:11pm] KnightMartti: Your favor

[1:12pm] KnightMartti: But in this case I will seek to kiss your hand with the DIA10 …

[1:13pm] KnightMartti: There is a DIA10 in the Sceptre, and one in NewLiberty’s coronet. They are no joke since HSH The Prince refused to sell the DIA20 to the King @250mil

[1:14pm] Roopatra: Martti proposes a diamond or nothing?

[1:15pm] Roopatra: which is a gamble

[1:16pm] KnightMartti: My final proposal is that the possibilities are:

[1:17pm] KnightMartti: - win 1 of the 2, in which case the sell price is split 50/50

[1:17pm] KnightMartti: - win both, your excellency can choose one stone

[1:17pm] KnightMartti: - if DIA10 is won additionally, your excellency can take that instead of a minor stone

[1:18pm] KnightMartti: - if both events and the DIA10 are won, you will have 2, of your choice

[1:18pm] KnightMartti: The upside is on your side, I am just your most humble servant

[1:19pm] KnightMartti: The peerages of FS and NL are from 1420 and 1434, respectively

[1:20pm] KnightMartti: I do not believe there will be any sales from them in the future any more than what the King reportedly tried already

[1:20pm] KnightMartti: So it is the most precious gem outside those 3 guys

[1:21pm] KnightMartti: oh.. I got the vision -

[1:21pm] KnightMartti: Star needs a diamond tiara

[1:21pm] KnightMartti: won by her own splendidness!!!

[1:21pm] KnightMartti: in the coronation !!!!!!!!!!

[1:22pm] Roopatra: KnightMartti, I agree to your terms, I will send over 10mil for your preparations. Star (H9) will stay in my ownership, as he is just a loan during the tournament(?).

[1:24pm] KnightMartti: I am most gracious to your excellency and appreciate the business acumen and will seek to win with all my effort, the 10 mil being spent for SCI preparations.

A fortunate meeting truly. Martti's chances to win the Horseback contest go up greatly with a H9 instead of a H4. The money provides the SCI preparation and aiming fund for the other contest. And all the other prizes except the large gems mentioned, Martti gets to keep to himself. And kiss the Princess' hand.

Things are truly going well now - hopefully the COOK-2's that were left at home can reasonably trim the market offers. There will be a cashflow crisis the next year since all the suits have been sold and the next opportunity is after 2 NPC salary rounds that are very serious money each.

Ahead towards the thundering voice of cannons (figuratively for now of course), Martti rides, whistling on his way.