Results of last vote:
>Leave him to rot
>Go after him immiedately

Ser Cador Belmore leers into the hole as the two of you finish grilling the young man, the Scout turned turncloak Wat. He straightens and fixes his arming doublet, fixing you with a level and steady gaze.

“Opinion?”

You sniff, regretting it immediately considering the smell of the cells beneath your castle, perhaps it would be worth airing and cleaning these out after the Night’s Watch is done picking through the prisoners, “I’d say his word isn’t worth trusting, a man will say anything when his circumstances are dire. It is why torture is an ineffective means of gathering information,” you say with a slight pause.

Cador nods, “But you’re thinking aren’t you?”

You grunt slightly, and begin to walk away, “Whether or not he is telling the truth is irrelevant. A man was dead dropping maps and supplies in the forests. One of Marston’s men. And I was not even told until a fortnight had passed. I am going after them, immediately.”

The voice of Wat echoes throughout the dungeon, his voice shrill and scared at the sounds of your receding footsteps “Milord! Milord please! Don’t leave me down ‘ere! I’m telling the truth! I swears it! Think ‘bout me sister! I don’t wanna die!”

A guard stands posted at the entrance to the spiral staircase out of the cells, and he salutes to your approach, “Mornin’ milord.”

“Guard, what is your name?” you snap off before he can finish his greeting.

“Grant, if it pleases milord,” he says after a short pause, “Can I help ya?”

“Grant. I need you to gather my brothers and Ser Trevor Trant, tell them this is a call to arms and to assemble within the great hall immediately, is this understood?”

He blinks a few times, collecting the information before you fix him with a hard and heavy stare, “Yes, yes milord! As you say!” he stammers out and runs up the stairs his maille clinking about to the sounds of leather on stone and shouts.

Cador sighs from behind you, “I can rally my men. Couple score of them, veterans and Knights I’d trust with my life. If you are marching off potentially into war Landon, I will assist.”

---

Ser Trevor Trant stands over the table of your makeshift war room, a few crude maps from the Earp days are laid out detailing the finer points of your Domain. The silver mine is only a few klicks to the northwest of Whitestone Keep. Your men could be there in a few hours on a hard march, but Marston and his Irregulars had hours to get to the mine first.

Liam and Lincoln are talking to one another aside from the table, the latter playing with the pommel Ser Gerold Stone had tried to end you rightly with the day prior. You dismiss the thought of the man and wave them over with a hard look as Maffew Shett enters the room with his pile of reports that Marston had filed over the past three months. He thumbs through them nervously and hands one to Cador another to Trevor.

“As you can see my Lord, all is in order. The report Ser Cador holds is that of the past week when they arrived in the Whitestone last. Ser Trevor holds that of the Marston’s departure this morning.”

Cador screws his face up, “Doesn’t say a thing about a capture or a scuffle. Doesn’t even mention Wat. Say they went north to the mine and touched base with Captain Asher and the Foreman. Steward, is it possible these reports could be falsified?”

Maffew looks taken aback, “Seven no my lord. I keep the strictest of records, signatures. Marston recalls the events of his ranging, I record them. I sign, he signs and they are filed away under lock and key within my quarters.”

“And no one else has access to your quarters?”

Maffew stutters a bit, “Well no one with an idea of what they may store?” he offers, “I assure you my lord. They are safe.”

“Why are the Irregulars taking the long way?” Trevor asks.

“I’m sorry Ser?” Maffew answers.

“Marston’s report from this morning, states he’ll be taking the long pass through the Mountains of the Dawn.”

“Ah, he claimed it was the goat herders idea,” Maffew says, “His scouts have hardly mapped the area, he thought it a good idea to learn the secret passes from the locals, yes?”

“You are dismissed steward,” Cador says, hardly breaking his gaze away from the report before him.

Maffew looks to you confused, you wave him off with a flick of your fingers and be bows leaving the room in quick step.

“I don’t trust your steward,” Cador remarks and Lincoln and Liam snort with laughter.

“We’ve been trying to tell Landon that for years,” Liam says with Lincoln adding, “Maffew is a pig’s arse. He’s always up to something, thinks Lan is too dumb to pick up on it.”

You look to the table ignoring your brothers, “We need to take action.”

“Yes but what,” Ser Trevor Trant says, “We have information and reports that appear legitimate, all we have are the words of a traitor and turncloak in a shithole.”

“A traitor that wasn’t caught in the neck of the woods that they claimed to be in, where my men were attacked,” Cador remarks, “And the mountain men have Grallner steel, we have proven that already, there is no telling what they are up to or where, if they have maps or not. If they are planning an attack or ambush.”

“It doesn’t feel right,” you state simply, not having much else in the way of an answer to the argument, “My heart is not made content by reports my eyes cannot read.”

“Then what do you wish to do Landon?”

>Go after Marston’s Irregulars supposed path exclusively, there were traitors in their midst
>Go to the Silver Mine exclusively, something didn’t feel right about this whole thing
>Split your military and go after both

>Your Military
100 Trained Infantry - Liam & Lincoln
20 Trained Heavy Cavalry - Ser Trevor Trant
Ser Landon Grallner (Warfare 3)

100 Veteran Infantry - Ser Bryen Belmore
Ser Cador Belmore (Warfare 5)

Do you wish to take them all with you? Leaving Whitestone Keep undefended for a time or leave some behind lessening the forces you have in the field with you.

>Spreadsheet
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_jWvJJcJTZ021L504bpNkF-V_B-w9K8Q0EAqusPzAr8/edit?usp=sharing

>>1759913
Shit, we gotta' leave some of them behind right? Fuck I don't know what to do here.
...
>Split your military and go after both.

Let's leave behind 20 Trained Infantry and 4 Heavy Cavalry.

>>1759913
>>Split your military and go after both
Leave behind Liam and 30 Trained infantry.

>>1759913
I'll go with this >>1759933
but Jesus, did we really just leave that kid to rot? It seems like he's telling the truth, would we be able to come back and release him after all this is sorted out? I know I shouldn't care but it just doesn't seem like the sevenly thing to do.

>>1759913
>Go to the Silver Mine exclusively, something didn’t feel right about this whole thing

>>1759942
We made a decision and now we have to keep it.

>>1759913
>>Go to the Silver Mine exclusively, something didn’t feel right about this whole thing

I'm not liking this one bit.

File: GrallnerFamilyTree.png (11 KB, 646x503)

11 KB PNG

>>1759942
That is how the vote went, pretty heavily in fact.

Anyway, sorry for the late post. Had to take care of some things this morning/afternoon that took longer than I expected. Should be a good 7-8 hour thread today.

>>1759942
He could easily be lying to us it's best to keep him their just in case.

>>1759913
>>Go to the Silver Mine exclusively, something didn’t feel right about this whole thing
Something is fishy in Denmark

>>1759913
>Go to the Silver Mine exclusively, something didn’t feel right about this whole thing
Leave 20 men behind to guard the castle

>>1759960
>>1759950
>>1759962
No, don't get me wrong, I'm all for leaving him until this whole thing got resolved. I was all for keeping him in prison rather than just turn him loose or waste manpower on watching him and his sister or to interrogate her. On that note, I just have some issue with just leaving him to rot for life. I'd like to at least give him and his sister the chance to prove his innocence, at least when this is all over. If majority is against it and leaves him to rot for life than I won't argue it and Landon can forget about it, just felt like it needed to be brought up.

>>1759976
No one said anything about letting him rot for life. Jus untill everything is settled.

>>1759976
I'd be fine with giving him a chance to argue for innocence after we're done with this. That seems fair.

Alright, so it looks like we want to go to the silver mine exclusively.

But we also want to split our forces up a little so the Whitestone is protected as well.

Most popular seems to be to leave about 20-30 infantry, so we'll call it 25. The question is do we want to leave someone in charge?

>Leave Liam in charge of the reserve
>Leave Lincoln in chare of the reserve
>Leave Ser Trevor Trant in charge of the reserve

>>1759983
>>1759984
That's different then, I'm completely for that. I'm glad I got clarification on that.

>>1759986
>Lincoln in charge

Meh.

>>1759986
>Leave Liam in charge of the reserve

>>1759904
>Go to the Silver Mine exclusively, something didn’t feel right about this whole thing

>the latter playing with the pommel Ser Gerold Stone had tried to end you rightly with the day prior.
top kek

>>1759976
once this is all finished, we'll release him if he's innocent. Hell, we should give him a few dragons for pain and suffering, and so he can feed his siblings.

>>1759986
>>Leave Lincoln in chare of the reserve

>>1759986
>>Leave whichever twin that is slightly more responsible in charge

>>1759986
>>Leave Liam in charge of the reserve

>>1759986
>>Leave Liam in charge of the reserve

>>1759999
I'll go with Quads McGee over here.

>>1759999
That's a Liam vote then. But only slightly.

Alright, it looks like your youngest brother, Liam, will be left in charge of 25 infantrymen in Whitestone Keep.

You will be taking:
75 Trained Infantry
20 Trained Heavy Cavalry
Ser Landon Grallner

100 Veteran Infantry
Ser Cador Belmore

You hope to link up with your 100 Green Archers in the mine.

Writing now

We gonna' kill that fuckin' traitor though right?

>>1760044
Of course

Also holy shit, I just realized how many people must be mocking us when we say Justice Soars, considering we through a mother fucker out a window.

>>1760044
damn right we will

So do we think Maffew is on the level?

>the latter playing with the pommel Ser Gerold Stone had tried to end you rightly with the day prior

Holy shit, is that a motherfucking SKALLAGRIM reference?

>>1760110
Nah, probably not
>>1760115
I'm happy someone else caught that

>>1760110
I really hope he is, if not, we are gonna have to find someone else who can read.

>>1760120
Wouldn't be that hard too do. I mean we already plan on getting a Septon and he would know how to read.

>>1760110
he seems a bit sketchy, but it might just be him working behind the scenes to try and fix the shitshow we've been ignoring without the backup of his lord

on the other hand, he does seem like he might be collaborating with the traitor.

>>1760110

I can't really trust him, we was holding back messages from the Belmores. I hate how being illiterate is fucking us I the ass. That should be the first thing we need to fix once we level up.

“Dear Father please provide me with wisdom and guidance in these troubled times of unclear path,” you whisper under your breath, tracing the most well traveled path from the Whitestone to the silver mine in the northwest. You pause, fingering tapping the icon representing the only source of income your House has before you speak, “We will take the bulk of the forces to the mine. If their is a traitor they will have given up the information about the mine, the archers will be on edge and welcoming to anyone carrying my banners after not having any contact for the past few weeks.”

“Do you plan to garrison the Keep?” Trevor asks.

“Yes, Liam,” you say, looking up with a frosty and stern gaze, “You will take twenty-five of your men and stay here. Be ever vigilant, if someone attacks you send two riders immediately. Is this understood?”

Lincoln looks at Liam who only licks his lips in response, kneading the pommel in his palm, “Aye Landon, it is,” he says shortly.

Cador straightens up and calls for his squire, “Well then Landon, I will meet you in the stables, my men will be read to march.”

The rest of the tables looks to you, your small assembled war council, looking for a word perhaps, you could not say though you offer a final order in place, “Be ready for anything. Seven guide us.”

---

The trek to the silver mine is not particularly difficult, though you feel exposed in the cool winter day, the sky is clear of clouds a ceiling of blue and sun illuminate the mid-afternoon woods to you and your men. Cador rides just ahead of you with his swornswords, three Knights of the Vale with names to prove it, all in their youth, in their prime. You are hard pressed to not admit envy, as much as a sin as it is to covet that of your neighbor, but when you looked upon your own retinue, the aging Stormlander and Sisterman of questionable birth that made up your Knightly holdings were a far cry from that of your more prosperous liegelord. He even had the strength to land another Knight, his cousin, in Grimarbour not two years past. It stuck in your mind, a Knight, a True Knight, should have others of his kind and stature under his employ. Occasionally you would catch a slightly more sobered up Ser Bryen glancing back at you before casting his eyes to the ground or forward quickly, you had hoped your words of Faith helped bring the man back from the brink.

“I dislike not having the scouts in the forests around and before us,” Ser Trevor says matching the pace of your horse, “Too damn quiet out here.”

“Agreed,” you respond, to the former not the latter, a fact you hadn’t particularly noticed before the Knight had made the observation, “The mine is just ahead, but…”

“No tracks, the snow undisturbed barring the shipment caravan we met halfway, aye. They couldn’t have come this way. No one has.”

You nod and look forward, noticing a few men in the Belmore purple running back with a one of your archers in the Grallner blue and gold, the horses are suddenly restless, Warrior snorts and you feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as the blood trail behind one of your men comes into view and he collapses before reach your train.

“Milord!” the Belmore man cries, “The mine is under attack!”

Cador swings his head back to you, “Landon! Rally your cavalry! Aroy, what do you know?”

“There are Grallner men attacking other Grallner men!” the man responds still running as his compatriot stops to help pick up your own men, “But they ain’t! Moon Swallows it looks like, the few dead had those crescents carved on their foreheads! The archers been pushed back into the mine, they gonna be overrun soon!”

Your cavalrymen have formed up behind you as Cador begins to snap off orders to his own men, “Bryen, take your infantry and take the left flank through the woods, kill any of them still lingering as quietly as you can, when you get to the forests edge form up in a shield wall and push forward. Lincoln Grallner,” he stops and dead looks your brother in the eyes, “I want you to take your men and the right flank, if you cannot, will not, or shall not be trusted to do this I will be damned if my men are overrun and dead because of your incompetence, and I will send one of my own men to command your brother’s troops, will you comply?”

Lincoln gaps at him, his brow furrowing before he shakes his head, “Yes milord. I shall. Understood.”

“Good,” Cador states coldly. You had never seen either of your brothers so willing to listen. Your liegelord turns to you, “The infantry shall box in the mountain scum on either side. You and I shall ride them down with the cavalry at our backs, into the mine’s opening where we can meet up with what is left of your archers. Agreed?”

You nod firmly, deferring to the more seasoned commander in this regard.

“Alright, men! Look for the moon upon their foreheads! Those are your enemies, kill them without recourse!” Cador calls about before tearing the sword from its scabbard, “We ride!”

The companies split in a coordinated fashion in a few hundred meters, your heavy cavalry barrels down the main path, a thunderous roar of horse and armour. You lead the charge with Cador and Trevor just behind you. Your mind is focused on singular task, the charge, the sweet glory of song and poem of the True Knight and his headlong journey unto the brink. The hills and forests begin to clear and you can make out the melee down below at the base of the mountain where your silver mine resides. It was true, there were men in Grallner colors fighting with their own.

Your men crest the ridge just as the two sides of the forests turn into battle lines of purple and blue shields. You can hear the two sides yelling in somewhat close order as they step forward and draw the attention of the melee between them. Some men begin to scramble back to the entrance of the mine, hopefully your own as the others begin to form up into a rough mass in the center.

“CHAAAARGE!” Cador yells from behind you, your cavalry breaking into a steady gallop down the hill. The silver bells upon purple and golden griffon upon blue fly behind your cavalry on long banners in the wind. The men below have begun to realize they’re out numbered and attempt to break the shield walls by throwing themselves against it, only to be cut down in short order, others have begun to run your way. You brace your shield, eyes desperately hoping to find the crescent upon the forehead of one of the men attempting to counter attack. The look and you hope and for a moment it is lost, before you spy it, upon the head of an axemen running with rough steps, his red beard braided and soaked in blood, he screams as he raises his axe, looking as if he were ready to chop down a tree but alas there it is, tinged with the splatter of blood, the moon of the Moon Swallows upon his forehead. You raise your sword as Warrior continues at your urging with spurs dug deep, this man shall not live the day.

>Please roll 9d6 (5D+3B+1B for House Mounted attack) for Fighting (Long Blades).

Rolled 6, 4, 5, 1, 1, 3, 1, 6, 1 = 28 (9d6)

>>1760156

Rolled 3, 4, 6, 5, 6, 1, 5, 1, 3 = 34 (9d6)

>>1760156

Rolled 1, 2, 5, 6, 1, 6, 4, 4, 4 = 33 (9d6)

>>1760156

Rolled 6, 5, 1, 6, 2, 2, 2, 4, 3 = 31 (9d6)

>>1760156

Rolled 2, 2, 4, 6, 5, 3, 6, 6, 1 = 35 (9d6)

>>1760156

Rolled 4, 5, 6, 2, 1, 5, 2, 6, 2 = 33 (9d6)

>>1760156

>>1760157
>>1760158
>>1760160
First Attack: 24
Second Attack: 26
Third Attack: 25

Landon with those divine murder rolls.

>>1760158
>>1760162
Were these good or meh? I can never figure out the combat system for this.

>>1760169
I assume we did well? I'm still new with this system, I really should take the time to really look at it?

>>1760183
We super fucked them

Lets make sure we execute all the traitors can't leave any of them alive.

>>1760194
definitely, turncloaks get put to the sword

>>1760212
No sending them to the wall either. Don't want to taint that order with bastards and turncloaks.

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>>1760215
yep, though I voted to send the guy with the pommel to it, turncloaks are too far gone.

At the least the knight can be trusted to act as a cook especially now that we crippled him, turncloaks are gonna abandon the watch the instant they get the chance

>>1760236
I mean I wouldn't trust the bastard to not run as soon as he got the chance.

>>1760212

Fully agree, this is one of those things where execution is the only answer.

Ser Landon Grallner’s Attack I:
DC: 7
Roll: 24
>Success, Four Degrees
>Damage: 5*4=20-3AR=17 Damage
>Moon Swallow I’s Health: 6-17=-11, Damage exceeds limit.
Result: Moon Swallow I Dead

Ser Landon Grallner’s Attack II:
DC: 7
Roll: 26
>Success, Four Degrees
>Damage: 5*4=20-3AR=17 Damage
>Moon Swallow II’s Health: 6-11=-11, Damage exceeds limit.
Result: Moon Swallow II Dead

Ser Landon Grallner’s Attack III:
DC: 7
Roll: 25
>Success, Four Degrees
>Damage: 5*4=20-3AR=17 Damage
>Moon Swallow III’s Health: 6-18=-11, Damage exceeds limit.
Result: Moon Swallow III Dead

Your sword gives the Moon Swallow his clean end before he even has a chance to swing at Warrior’s legs. He was a Crownlander horse after all, deft and practiced on the charge. He knew to keep his pace when your spurs dug into his sides. Leaving you to do the rest. The cut is clean and quick, the downward momentum allowing you to cleaning slice from chest to neck and the clansmen falling by the wayside not soon after. The hollars and war horns from behind announce your cavalry as they spread into formation. They were common-born men nearly all but Ser Trevor Trant had been adamant about teaching them the ways of the proper charge. The men formed an arrow head behind yourself, Cador, Trevor, their lances falling into place just as you meet the rest of the attacking Moon’s Swallows.

Again your sword lashes out, cutting a lanky one from navel to nose, you felt shame ruining your own men’s uniforms. Those overcoats had been a gift from the Belmores after your ascendance to the Knight of Whitestone Keep. To know they were now being used against your own men in an ambush brought heat to your face, the vein upon your forehead pumping wildly as you dove further into combat. Cador slashes the face of another Moon Swallow, perhaps a woman, though you care not to look much longer. Trevor lances one of his own, losing his warlance in the process, though it is quickly replaced by his own sword coming from of its scabbard and driving into the eye of another clansmen.

Your men are cutting a bloody swath through the Moon Swallows. Another attempts to spear you, the stone end hardly giving your heavy plate more than a scratch as it shatters and crumbles in the man’s hand. He meets his end when your sword cuts through the better part of his head at the nose and nearly lodging into his skull before you pull it free, the clansman falling over into bloody ruin thereafter.

“There! The entrance!” you yell back to Cador, he hardly reacts under the helm of his visor but steers into a single line after yourself with Trevor Trant taking up the rear, the three of you bursting into the entrance of the mine while the other Cavalry rounds under Ser Michel’s order for a second charge.

You throw open the visor to your sallet and look about, only to see pain and suffering. War and bloodshed upon your lands, under your watch, under the Seven’s watch, had their light not shone upon these men this day? Had it been your own negligence? Archers are about, some guarding, others tending to the wounded. The miners are huddled as far back as possible, some tending to their own wounds. You can tell at least a few attempted to help fight back by the dead Moon Swallows hauled off into the corner, one with a pickaxe firmly lodged in his eye. Though it is not a good sight at all.

“Ser!” you hear the deep bellow of a voice from behind you call, Asher Harp’s voice. Seven be good not all had been lost. You dismount and approach the Northman, the only under your employ. You weren’t too sure where you had picked him from originally, at a guess somewhere in the Riverlands, claimed he was a conscript for the Winterfell army but he had become a quick and good ally, hand, and to some extents a friend. It was good to see him well and alive still.

“Report Asher.”

“Quick and easy of it,” he says scratching at his beard before pointing, “My forward men were taken out, couldn’t risk thinning our lines so we’ve been holed up the past few days. Hadn’t seen hide or tail of Marston for the usual check up, assumed he was MIA. We sent messengers to the Whitestone, thought the boys in blue were ours. Wasn’t until they were upon us that we saw the moons. I figure a couple hundred of ‘em. Bout half that now. Did you receive my messengers?”

“We have not,” Trevor answers and Asher looks grimly at the thought.

“Lost more than I thought then. We’d been hoping to see Marston for the last fortnight. When he didn’t check in… Got worried. Haven’t sent silver since, not that our next shipment was due anytime soon, but still.”

“Wait,” Cador interrupts, “If you hadn’t sent any, then who were the men taking a caravan to Whitestone Keep we met along the way?”

“Not mine,” Asher says. He looks about you, the roar of the melee outside is deafening and it draws your attention, “I think either that’s more of them or we have them on the run now with your timely intervention Ser. I can rally what’s left of the ‘Bowmen, we’ll provide cover fire at your order. If you wanna get back out into the thick of it and finish this.”

You glance at Trevor and Cador who both give nods of approval, “Do it Asher.”

“Alright lads!” Asher starts off with that huge bellow of his, “You heard the man! We fight! Fuck those godless cowards! What SOARS!”

“JUSTICE!” the rallying cry of your men calls back and Asher smiles at you. Slapping down your visor back into place and hefting your tower shield into place you march off to the entrance, the archers fanning out to the entrance and taking up positions, Asher had turned the entrance into an absolute murder hall. Men nearly stood upon one another, arrow points bristled like a porcupine. The melee was still more or less upon your side, Ser Michel had led them through at least one more charge but had gotten bogged down this time, you watch as one of your men is torn from his horse and a sickle is brought down upon his neck while Michel tries to rally the disorganized mess.

“I’ll have my men break formation and enter the melee,” Cador says, “Can we trust your archers to be of good firing support?”

“I wouldn’t risk it,” Trevor says, “Half of them are green as gooseshit.”

“Your call Landon.”

>Have the archers provide constant firing support as the Belmore men breaks formation and enters the melee
>Have the archers shoot off a concentrated volley before the Belmore men break formation and revert back to guarding the entrance thereafter
>Have the archers do nothing but guard the entrance, it’s too risk for the green men to be shooting at all

>Please roll 8d6 for Fighting (Long Blades)

Rolled 2, 4, 5, 2, 4, 2, 3, 5 = 27 (8d6)

>>1760300
>Have the archers provide constant firing support as the Belmore men breaks formation and enters the melee
Hope they don't fuck up

Rolled 4, 1, 1, 1, 3, 2, 3, 5 = 20 (8d6)

>>1760300
>Have the archers shoot off a concentrated volley before the Belmore men break formation and revert back to guarding the entrance thereafter

Rolled 1, 3, 3, 6, 4, 6, 3, 3 = 29 (8d6)

>>1760300
>Have the archers shoot off a concentrated volley before the Belmore men break formation and revert back to guarding the entrance thereafter

Rolled 1, 6, 3, 3, 5, 4, 6, 3 = 31 (8d6)

>>1760300
>Have the archers shoot off a concentrated volley before the Belmore men break formation and revert back to guarding the entrance thereafter

Rolled 1, 4, 1, 5, 4, 2, 6, 5 = 28 (8d6)

>>1760300
>>Have the archers shoot off a concentrated volley before the Belmore men break formation and revert back to guarding the entrance thereafter

>>1760115
Fuck yah thats a skallgrim reference!

>>1760303
>>1760304
>>1760306
21,17,22

>>1760312
I'm kind of surprised people got that. It makes me laugh.

So are we going to hunt down Marston after this anons?

>>1760325
Ofcourse.

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>>1760300
>>Have the archers shoot off a concentrated volley before the Belmore men break formation and revert back to guarding the entrance thereafter

>You throw open the visor to your sallet and look about
woo best helmet!

>>1760325

Oh yeah, no doubt about that.

>>1760325
And beat Maffew almost to death. Also our brothers, if we could trust a word out of thier mouths not just to be insults I imagine we'd have listen'd to them.

>>1760322
If Liam ever gets in a duel, I kind of see him throwing the impostor´s pommel at someone before ending him rightly.

>>1760336
>Liam invents baseball while practicing ending people rightly

>>1760325
I think we should at least give some thought to sending a solid portion of our men back to the castle. I have a feeling the other half of the men Asher saw may be moving in that direction

>>1760353
Good idea, but we need to thin this fucks down first.

>>1760353
It'll be OK , 25 men can hold a castle for at least a few days..... as long as they don't fall for there Wolf in sheep's clothes ruse...... our brother will see through it right.... right?

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>>1760367

>>1760344
>Liam gets immortal fame by inventing one of the most popular sports ever while we are known as his religious brother

>>1760367
That's what worries me, I don't know that I believe that Liam has the attention span to keep vigilant for several days.

>be a faithful swordsman
>have to deal with intrigue
>I just want to be home flagellating my self

>>1760353
Supporting this - especially with that unknown caravan heading that way.

>>1760382
I also do not trust our Steward, and if there is an assault on our castle, I'm of the opinion that he might just open our gates for them.

>>1760391

To prevent anything like this from happening again, what about we fit the mines next time with jailed ravens, so they can be fred at a moment´s notice, being much more reliable than any messenger?

>>1760382
>Traitor soldiers show up outside of castle
>Gates closed
>Liam is lazing about like usual, is slow getting to the gate
>Traitors get snappy at him
>Liam's like 'well stay out in the cold then faggot' and goes back to fucking about
>Landon returns and kills the traitors outside the castle
>Landon praises Liam for seeing through their ruse and protecting the castle
>Liam accepts the praise without missing a beat
>Fucks the nanny

>>1760403

Incompetency is half of the battle.

>>1760403
oYes.

Ser Landon Grallner’s Attack I:
DC: 7
Roll: 21
>Success, Three Degrees
>Damage: 5*3=15-3AR=12 Damage
>Moon Swallow I’s Health: 6-12=-6, Damage exceeds limit.
Result: Moon Swallow I Dead

Ser Landon Grallner’s Attack II:
DC: 7
Roll: 17
>Success, Three Degrees
>Damage: 5*3=15-3AR=12 Damage
>Moon Swallow II’s Health: 6-12=-6, Damage exceeds limit.
Result: Moon Swallow II Dead

Ser Landon Grallner’s Attack III:
DC: 7
Roll: 22
>Success, Four Degrees
>Damage: 5*4=20-3AR=17 Damage
>Moon Swallow III’s Health: 6-17=-11, Damage exceeds limit.
Result: Moon Swallow III Dead

Holding a hand up you await for the perfect moment, Ser Michel manages to get his men torn away from the worst of it and you give the order with a flick of your wrist. The ‘Bowmen shoot a round of arrows that sink into the Moon Swallows left wide open in the murder box your and Cador’s men had created. While it does knock out a few of the clansmen mostly it just draws their ire and they’ve decided their last stand is going to be against the Knight of Whitestone Keep and the Heir of Strong Song. Cador pulls a long call from his warhorn followed by two short toots and his men immediately break formation, the second line leaping over the first and headlong into the melee and the side of the charging Moon Swallows.

“It is always a pleasure to fight alongside you Landon,” Cador says beside you, “Seven so blesses me with the Warrior by my side once more.”

“Likewise my friend,” you say without thinking a small smile creeping upon your face before the war bellow erupts from it and you charge into the fray.

The first man to meet his grisly end at the end of your sword is a stunted halfman, his axe lodging itself into your shield as he charged into your guard. With a twist and rip you throw him to the side and plunge your blade into his throat receiving a satisfying gurgling noise and his eyes losing their light. The second is a woman, not your favored target by any means but she is tenacious, her spear blows keeping you on the defensive for the better part of the spar before she overextends, your sword chops the spear to the ground and your tower shield smashing it to pieces. A firmly placed elbow into her face on your round ends with her nose smashed in and her out cold on the blood drenched snow.

The third is the man with the sickle, a brute of a man you realize, taller than you and twice as thick. He is missing an eye in addition to the several phases of the Moon carved into his forehead. He had foregone the Grallner colors, instead his naked torso was covered in white paint, lined with scars and blood. Surely he was their leader. At least of this little raiding party. Though it mattered not. For his attacks were unsure and unpracticed, vicious over head chops and fists that swung and landed into metal each time to little avail. You advanced on him carefully, nicking and cutting away at him to enrage the giant. To cause him to overstep and that he did. He tore into your guard with a primal warcry, the fullness of his weight came crashing into your tower shield, but your sword hand had been quicker. It find its way into his eye from its place upon the top of your shield in your typical stance, it had only been a quick and effortless thrust that ended the man, his body rolling off and to the ground.

Cador’s infantry mops up the rest, your men doing their best to pick off anyone that attempts to run. Ser Michel is doing a particularly good job of running down anyone that tries, seeing as they only had one way to go. You stand in the middle of the melee, watching the clansmen die all about you. It felt… It reminded…

---

“Landon. LANDON!”

Your ears ring. The voice is broken and distant. The metallic tang of blood is upon your lips. The rotten smell of broken flesh, piss, and shit.

War is not beautiful nor glorious. Not like the stories. It is Hell, all Seven of them.

---

“Ser?”

Your mind has slowed to its slow hum again, the heat has left your veins and you look over the field of death. At the moment it is hard to determine who is who and what losses you incurred but the light sprinkling of purple keeps your mind at ease for the most part. Asher looks at you, placing his hand upon your shoulder.

“Happen again?”

You look away from his gaze and he removes his hand quickly as Ser Trevor and Cador come over.

“I doubt a one got away,” Trevor says, a cut lining his cheek, he had lost his helmet at some point and the grey upon his temples was muddled with wet blood, though whose you could not say.

“They’ll know either way,” Cador says with a sniffle opening his visor, “You don’t just lose two hundred odd men to an easy mark.”

Lincoln limps over to you, nursing a nasty gash on his leg, you receive him with concern even when he pushes off to stand on his own power, “The First held Lan. Wish I had Liam and the rest though, some slipped and we took losses. I’m…” he grumbles and looks to the side finishing quiet, “Sorry.”

“We can’t stay here,” Asher says, watching his surviving archers beginning to pick through the dead, “My men took heavy losses, and a lot need medical attention that we can’t perform in the field.” Lincoln nods his agreement though grimaces with pain when he tries to move again.

“The mine needs to stay protected,” Trevor Trant says adamantly, “They could send another force. The Cavalry only lost one, Morgan if I can take a guess. Allow us to hold the mine and protect the survivors.”

“And we can return to the Whitestone,” Cador says quickly, “I don’t trust that caravan was carrying silver. Seven be blood-”


He pauses at a sudden look from you.

Cador clears his throat, “We should have checked them. It was a foul up on my part, too eager to go to war again.”

“Liam has enough men to holdout for at least a fortnight. That caravan cannot possibly hold enough men to take it by force,” Trevor says, “We need to fortify our position here and make sure the mine is safe. That needs to be our priority.”

“Not from the exterior…” you say, thinking aloud before looking up.

>Battle against the Moon Swallows won!

Gained:
>Landon EXP: 5, total 7 (You got 2 from the Trial by Combat)
>1 Wealth, looting
>1 Law, murdering Moon Swallows
>2 Power, The Whitestone Longbowmen sustained heavy losses but those that survived are now that much better for it, upgraded to Trained Archers.

Lost:
>12 Trained Infantry, will need 1 week to be back at full strength
>43 Green Archers, will need 1 month to be back at full strength
>1 Trained Heavy Cavalry, will need 1 week to be back at full strength

Military:
>63 Trained Infantry
>57 Trained Archers
>19 Heavy Cavalry
>Ser Landon Grallner

>95 Veteran Infantry
>Ser Cador Belmore

What do you wish to do now?

Fortify Mine before leaving?
>Yay (6 Hours until you are home, Takes 3 Hours to build fortification)
>Nay (3 Hours until you are home, Takes remaining forces and miners 6 hours to build fortification)

Do you wish to leave a force behind to protect the Mine?
>Ser Trevor Trant and the Cavalrymen
>Lincoln and the Infantrymen
>Asher and the ‘Bowmen

Anything else?

>>1760471
>Yay (6 Hours until you are home, Takes 3 Hours to build fortification)
>Ser Trevor Trant and the Cavalrymen
>You need to strike while the iron is hot, track down Marston and his men before they have a chance to pull off whatever their planing.

>>1760471
>Fortify Mine before leaving?
>>Yay (6 Hours until you are home, Takes 3 Hours to build fortification)

>Do you wish to leave a force behind to protect the Mine?
>>Ser Trevor Trant and the Cavalrymen

>>1760471
>Yay (6 Hours until you are home, Takes 3 Hours to build fortification)

>Ser Trevor Trant and the Cavalrymen

>>1760471
>Nay (3 Hours until you are home, Takes remaining forces and miners 6 hours to build fortification)
I am very doubtful that that they'd attack again so soon - a few hours delay here doesn't matter. But it could make all the difference back at the castle.

>Lincoln and the Infantrymen
Using our cavalry to guard a static location is a criminal waste of the ability.

>>1760492
Second

>>1760471

Every moment we spend here is a moment where the caravan might be laying a siege to our castle. If they can get in, our bother is basically doomed.

>Leave Lincoln here with the Infantrymen
>Nay

He should try to rest for a bit until his leg is healed.

Speed is key here. Let the cavalry go rush ahead while Belmore´s Infantry follows behind with our Bowmen. If we can deliver a charge to their rearbefore they discover us the battle will be won before they have any hope in pulling any shenamigans with Liam

>>1760471
Nay
Infantry

>>1760471
>>Nay (3 Hours until you are home, Takes remaining forces and miners 6 hours to build fortification)
>>Lincoln and the Infantrymen
>>1760492
These are good points

>>1760471
>>Yay (6 Hours until you are home, Takes 3 Hours to build fortification)
>>Ser Trevor Trant and the Cavalrymen

>>1760471
>Nay (3 Hours until you are home, Takes remaining forces and miners 6 hours to build fortification)
I agree that it's highly unlikely that a few hours are going to make a difference.
>Lincoln and the Infantrymen
Unless both our brothers are traitors I think he's the best option, also we have enough infantry, and the heavy cavalry will be invaluable in any other engagements we get into.

>>1760471
>>Nay (3 Hours until you are home, Takes remaining forces and miners 6 hours to build fortification)
>Lincoln and the Infantrymen
>Asher and the ‘Bowmen

Alright calling to call the vote here.

We will be leaving immediately and Lincoln with the Infantrymen will be left to guard and help build the temporary fortifications.

Another vote:

What will Lincoln do with the clansmen bodies? (This is his own personal action, Landon won't order it.)
>Burn them
>String them up
>Pike their skulls, burning the rest
>Mass grave

>>1760531
>Pike their skulls, burning the rest
Let the Swallows and small folk know we got those bastards

>>1760531
>>Pike their skulls, burning the rest

>>1760531

>Pike their skulls, burning the rest

>>1760531
>Pike their skulls, burning the rest
Heathen murderous rapists get the pike.

>>1760531

You know, a sensible man would string them to see if the clans would like to recover their deaths for a price. Knowing Lincoln, he will go for the easiest and comfiest route available.

>Pick a side gallery of the mine and leave the corpses there, sealing the entrance afterwards

>>1760531
>>Pike their skulls, burning the rest

>>1760548
>Wanting ghosts haunting the mine

>>1760551
>Thinking that Lincolns cares shit about ghosts

>>1760531
>Pike their skulls, burning the res

>>1760548
That was 100% what the mass grave option would have been. Lincoln being lazy.

Anyway, skull piking away! Writing now.

>>1760558
>>1760551

It is written in The Seven-Pointed Star that spirits, wights, and revenants cannot harm a pious man, so long as he is armored in his faith.

>>1760586
But who says Lincoln is pious?

>>1760586
Landon would be fine, its his brother's who should be worried about them. I hope if we ever do get to fight the wights Landon just no sells them.

>>1760586
I sincerely doubt that Lincoln cares even a little bit about the Faith to be "armoured in faith"

However, he cares even less for ghosts and wights, so it all evens out in the end.

“Lincoln, will you be alright to take the rest of the First and guard the mine against a second incursion?”

Lincoln’s face turns into a mixture of pain and confusion, “You’re trusting me? Where the hell did the Landon I know go.”

“Can you do it or not Lincoln?” Cador says with a heavy hint of frosty disdain.

“I… Yes, I believe I can. Just need off this leg for a bit.”

“Not too long,” Trevor says with a sideways look, “Need to clear out these bodies, get our dead or wounded on a cart and back to the Whitestone. Get your men and the miners to build some fortifications. Circle of sharpened stakes, three deep, at the very least.”

Lincoln waves him off, “Fine, fine Trant. I get it. I’ll have the First start once we’re done picking through the lot of ‘em. Gotta be something good to loot.”

“They’re clansmen,” Asher snorts, “Seven you’re dumb as they are.”

Cador turns to you, his men beginning to deal with their own dead, the few there are, “We need to return to your castle, immediately. I do not trust whatever was upon that caravan. We’ll take your cavalry and my Knights and go on ahead. The Belmore infantry, your archers, and the wounded will follow after. Time is of the essence.”

You were not the man to act with haste, there was little plan, and thus why Cador had taken point so heavily during the entirety of this day. Yet you find yourself following and mounting up upon Warrior all the same, rallying your cavalry and breaking off into a gallop along the mountain’s path.

---

The approach to the Whitestone is quiet, you see no trace of the caravan along the way, at some point their tracks in the snow merely disappear; horse, wagon, footsteps and all. You curse your lack of scouts at that moment, having no eyes in the woods severely crippled your ability to plan ahead. Caution need be thrown to the wind a fact you disliked immensely though Cador thrived upon it. Perhaps it was why you had functioned so well as a team during the Rebellion, but this was a far cry from the Riverlands and Gulltown.

“Hail Ser!” a guard says from the ramparts above the gatehouse, “Open the gates! Ser Landon is home!”

The double gates of the Whitestone’s main entrance creak open on the sound of heavy chains, the black iron scraping against the stonework to allow you entrance.

“Status?” you ask.

“Your brother is in great hall with a messenger. One of the scouts, came back ragged and worn. Didn’t catch a name, but looks like he ran half the bloody day away, if you’ll excuse me langauge milord.”

“Nothing else, no caravans, or visitors?” Cador asks.

“Not a thing milord,” the guard says, “Promise it on the Seven I do.”

“Well I suppose we should see the this messenger then,” Cador says and dismounts, handing his horse off to a stableboy with you following in tow.

---

“Caravans just don’t disappear Landon,” Cador says with frustration as you enter the great hall.

Liam looks up at you as you enter, Jeyne Stone is tending to the messenger who is propped up in a chair, he asks, “Seven be good, what happened?”

“Clansmen,” you state simply.

“Lincoln..?”

“Took a wound, but he’ll be fine,” you say, “Scout?”

“Robb, of the Burn, they call me,” he says his head rolling to the side, a nasty mark on his head is bleeding and it’s likely he at the least has a mild concussion.

“What happened, why are you home?”

“Escaped…” he slurs his words a bit, “An ambush. The Moon Swallows came down on us on the goat pass.”

“How could they have known?” Cador asks.

“One of ours must have typed ‘em…” he says after a moment of thought, “We gots… Gots traitors all around… All round,” his words turn to mush as he circles the air with his finger.

Liam stands straight, wiping the blood on his hands off onto a dish rag and comes over to you, “It’s the only thing he’s been saying the last hour. Occasionally he’ll talk about Marston being captured by the leader, guess they broke his leg tossing him down the cliff side and some of the other Scouts just standing there doing nothing or peeling off into the forests just before the attack.”

“Not sure if we can get anything else from him. Could be dead within the hour, without a maester here...” Cador remarks looking at the delirious man. A part of you felt as if this could have been prevented, had you sent men along the goat pass to go after him… They might have been able to stop the ambush and figure out what was going on.

>Anything you’d like to try to ask Robb?

>>1760682
>How many Moon Swallows were there? And how many would you say deserted?

>>1760697
Supporting this.

Then pray with the man as he departs this world - he didn't deserve to die to treachery.

>>1760682
>Was Marston´s liutenant with the traitors?

If the version of Wat checks out, we can use his skill as a scout to help us track where they have kidnapped Marston.

>>1760682

Ask him about the movements of the scouts, if they didn't go to the mines in the past days where did they go?

>>1760701
Supporting.

>>1760701

As much as it pains me to sya it, we can´t afford to stay with the man until he dies. Traitors lurk in the shadows, and every second we spend grieving is a second more for their tracks to become feinter. If we don´t act quickly, more men will die because of this treachery, and it will be our fault.

>>1760743
We can at least say a prayer.

>>1760697
>How many Moon Swallows were there?
Robb's head rolls forward and he looks at his hands, "Twice this many, is all I saw milord," he says holding up seven fingers, occasionally raising another one or two. Upwards of twenty is a reasonable guess.

>And how many would you say deserted?
>Was Marston´s liutenant with the traitors?
"Lost track of Eli and his boys, the old Earpers 'fore they hit us. Figured theys were just socuting 'head. Maybe... Maybe Wat wasn't crazy after all. They told me to put a gag in his mouth so he'd stop spoutin' crazy..." his head rolls and Jeyne Stone attempts to keep him awake. You had to guess the old Earp men were about ten-fifteen strong. Quite a few had died during the Rebellion, others abandoned ship, the rest joined the Night's Watch alongside your uncle. The Scouts had the most of them.

>>1760735
>Ask him about the movements of the scouts, if they didn't go to the mines in the past days where did they go?

"Ohhhh all over milord!" he says with a sudden jump, "We wents wests... And Norths. We were following Marston's orders. Said he had caught wind some Moon Swallows out that way."

Robb's eyes are half lidded at this point, his eyes clearly not focused and glazed over. He is not long for this world.

Anything else to ask the man? Or spend the last few minutes with the man in prayer as he leaves the mortal realm?

>>1760746
Of course that we should say a prayer, but nothing more

Lady Stone is versed in the Faith of the Seven and if the Stranger comes to claim him, she will be prepared to offer him a good departure. With some luck, the Mother will hear her prayers and stop the hand of the Stranger.

>>1760758
>Or spend the last few minutes with the man in prayer as he leaves the mortal realm?

Pray for him.

>>1760758
Pray for him.

>>1760758
Pray.

>>1760758

We are a little bit pressed for time but we can spare a few minutes.

Tell Carston to fetch Wat. He needs to be ready to serve as our guide.

>>1760758
>Or spend the last few minutes with the man in prayer as he leaves the mortal realm?

>>1760809
Supporting this.

The great hall is calmed, quieted, not even a woman’s cry can be heard. Robb’s head wound is bleeding worse and worse, Jeyne’s bandaging does little to stem the tide now. His head falls into your hands with a roll his eyes hardly regarding you as anymore than a blur.

You close your eyes, pressing your own head against his, “Rest easy now my son,” you say in whispered breath, “Go now with the Mother’s grace, the Warrior’s strength, the Crone’s guidance into the Stranger’s hands. Be at peace knowing that the treaspasses done onto you shall not go unpunished. A loyal man does not deserve to die by the hand of treason.”

“Mother…” his voice is a mere rasp, “Mother’s sweet pies… I can smell ‘em mama… I’m… I’m comin-”

You press your hands over his eyes, closing them fully. You stand, the heavy clunk of your plate disturbing the quiet of the room.

Cador is the first to speak, “I don’t know…” he rubs the back of his neck, “I would have guessed Marston was your kingpin in this Landon. Now, I cannot say for certain. And I’ve little time left here in Whitestone.”

The sun is low now, the day is done, you realize your stomach aches with hunger and your body is worn and tired from riding and war. Cador admits to only having a few days left in Whitestone Keep before he needs to go on further in his travels about the Vale. Your day was filled with victories, yet here you felt… Lost. A traitor about your House still, Marston crippled and captured by clansmen, a caravan gone missing into thin air. What answer did you have for this. For anything…

“Landon,” Liam interrupts your thoughts after Cador and his men leave, “I think you should go see our father. Its… Been awhile. At least take him his dinner.”

>Go see your father
>Do not, you need to rest, to think

>>1760880
>>Do not, you need to rest, to think
We aren't ready to see him yet.

>>1760880
>Go see your father

>>1760880
>>Go see your father

>>1760880
>Go see your father

>>1760880
Do not.
Just not ready yet

>Go see your father

It is our duty as his son.

>>1760880
>>Go see your father

"Come with me."

>>1760910
We need some sort of emotional support if we are going to see father after all the shit that has happened to us today. Bringing Liam with us is a very good idea in this circustances.

>>1760910
Adding this to my vote.

>>1760910
Yup.

>>1760910
Supporting

>>1760910
>>1760910
About halfway through writing and just noticed this. Let me rework and I'll include this.

“Come with me.”

Liam snorts, half a laugh, almost fully before he looks at the seriousness on your face, “You’re serious? We haven’t… We haven’t been there together since the Rebellion. You’ve always gone alone.”

“Well I’m asking you to go with me now Liam,” you snap back. Your youngest brother flinches back and he rubs his arm look into a fireplace.

“Fine… I’ll go get his dinner. Just… Don’t expect it to be any different, ya?”

You say nothing and leave to change out of your plate.

---

The door to the peak of this tower was always barred from the outside, a guard usually stood here to make sure Cristoff Grallner was safe and sound. He knew the guard’s name.

A servant would come by every once and awhile. She would clean, make sure he bathed, and left him new parchments, inks, and quills for him to write with. He knew the servant’s name.

Liam and Lincoln would take turns bringing him his meals for the day. Listening to him ramble about the same story from before the Rebellion, wish him well and let him sleep. He knew their names, that they were his sons.

You went… Far less than you should. Perhaps once every few months. It had once been every day. When your anger would boil over and you would rage at the old man and he would cower from your words calling for his guard. The next day it was as if it never happened. You would call you be an assortment of names, whatever he thought of that day. Men from his past, from the Earp Household. He once mistook you for Trevor Trant in his youth and asked why you had dyed your hair. Another he asked you how the War of the Ninepenny Kings had been, calling you brother, Cyrol. And somedays he would speak of his family at length. Of his beautiful intelligent daughter, his twin boys so filled with promise, his wife who had so blessed him. Occasionally he would pause, for long lengths of time and look at you, study your face, squinting and forming wordless phrases with his lips. Only to turn to another topic a moment later.

Upon silent lip you prayed today would be one of the better days. Your hands trembled with the tray that held his dinner, it was his favorite. It had once been yours. Goat stew, barley, leeks, potato, peppercorns and for dessert one of those hardy little winter peaches from the Egen lands down southwest of here. Liam looks at you, and furrows his brow, placing a hand on the tray.

“You’re shaking like a leaf Lan.”

You glare at him silently.

File: HouseEarpCoA.png (83 KB, 618x730)

83 KB PNG

Liam opens the door and you find a room stuck in the past. Banners of the Earp Household still stood here, the gold eagle proudly displayed in a monument to the past. Cristoff looks up from his table, the papers there scribbled with madness, words that had no meaning, pictures of castles, men, anything and everything that had never existed. He would give them names and stories, though they were forgotten the next day when he would tell a new one. Build his desk stood the only banner of your House, a picture you had drawn when you were young of the Grallner Coat of Arms. It had been when the Septon had begun to teach you of the Faith, and you had decided to add the white border to the typical Grallner arms as your personal coat. It had served you well during the Rebellion, it had served you well today, but no matter how hard you prayed and begged for your Faith to surround you, it never served you here in this godsforsaken tower.

“Evening father,” Liam says with a tilted voice, “We’ve your dinner. Your favorite.”

“Ah Liam!” Cristoff says with a toothy smile behind a white beard that grew far too long, “How is my dearest son.”

“I’m good father, well,” he says shakily, “We fought with the training dummy today, Lincoln nearly broke his nose when it swung around.”

Cristoff tsks as he begins to tuck into his food, “That boy, will he ever learn?”

Liam fakes a laugh, “Doubtful father, the maester is tending to him otherwise he would have came.”

“Ah it is no matter,” Cristoff says waving it off and turning to his work of the day, “Lord Earp has tasked me with a new harvest tax. See the numbers are far too low,” he points to a pile of scribbles, “The crop yields are pitiful, we’ll hardly survive the coming winter. And the smallfolk, hah! Well all I will say is we need-”

“Father,” Liam interrupts before Cristoff falls into another of his rambles, “I brought a visitor today.”

Cristoff examines you with a careful eye, placing a small looking glass upon his better one to examine you more thoroughly.

“Do you know him?”

The old man licks his lips, his face scrunches up and for a moment there is a pause, a look of puzzlement before he raises his finger and waggles it in your direction.

“Lord Earp’s new Champion!”

Liam looks at you sideways, your own mouth slightly gaps.

“Ser Trevor Trant! How good it is to see you again.”

And just like that your heart is struck. He rambles and you play the falsehood again, it had not been the first, nor likely the last. He eats his dinner, the smell of which nearly makes you sick. The night runs long and Liam makes an attempt to leave but before you can stand Cristoff grabs your arm and holds you in place.

“Ser,” he starts pausing to allow the words to come to mind, “Allow me a moment.”

“Of course steward,” you say with a broken voice.

“I see greatness in you,” he says nodding along happily to the thought, “My boys, they don’t know it now but they will see the greatness in you someday as well. I’ve asked Lord Earp to have you take Lincoln and Liam on as squires,” he whispers before continuing, “Please. I beg of you, make sure my boys grow up into the men I know they can be. They’re thick skulled just like their mother, but they mean well. They deserve a chance in this life, do not write them off after the first week. I beg of you. Just clout ‘em in the ears a few times, they’ll listen and be better men for it.”

You glance to the side, a feeling of guilt runs through your body, had you written your brothers off?

“And as for you, Ser,” he continues, “Hold your head high…”

---

“... Greatness does not merely come to those that wait Landon. You must go out, and take it. Grab it by the throat and yell into its ear, I am LANDON FUCKING GRALLNER! And I will not be overlooked! Forgotten! Cast aside! I am more! I am the Champion of Lord Earp to whom I owe my loyalty. My honor. My life.”

You laugh, smiling at your father, he holds you by your shoulders, beaming with pride, joy. You had been Knighted a year ago, saving the Lord Earp’s only son and heir from a Clansmen attack. Upon your arrival to the Whitestone Lord Earp Knighted you there and then. It had been your pride, your joy in life until this day. Lord Emmerst had made you his new Champion and you had defeated the first comer. Ser Trevor Trant had watched in disgrace as you deftly beat the bastard and winning your Lord his honors. The girl now worked for him, and all disputes were settled. She wore tears but you knew in time she would learn to take joy in her work. In her loyalty to Lord Earp.

“What are those words my son?”

---

“...We are our Loyalties,” you lip along the House Earp’s old motto alongside Cristoff who so proudly states them.

Liam begs leave and two of you leave off not long after. You can feel a swell of tears in your eyes. Memories that had no place any longer it is not until you return to the great hall that you find Cador Belmore, Ser Trevor Trant, Maffew Shett, and a hysterical Wylla Earp staring at the head of the Irregulars and have to swallow that pain for another.

Marston’s literal bloody, detached head, upon a platter at your high seat, a knife struck this eye that held a note with roughly scrawled upon it letters.

“What does it say Maffew?” you ask.

“We’re coming for you, traitor.”

[End Chapter II]

So we got through all of my notes for today's session, don't have anything else planned out so I guess this is as good a spot to end as any.

Lots of fighting, lots of killing, lots of Landon getting to be a badass murder machine.

Some PTSD.

Landon has a lot of issues.

Um... Right now, I'm not entirely sure where to take things. I was doing my best to predict what we'd do exactly and I was totally off the mark. So we got some good endings and some bad endings. A note, there wasn't a win everything decision there. It was a hard decision that Landon had to make and he did it. How he deals with the potential guilt of Marston dying because of him is something we'll see later on.

So yeah! Questions, concerns, etc. Feel free to ask. I honestly think you guys had a very successful outing today. Things could have gone much worse. Just wish I had predicted right and had more material to run.

>>1761132
I think it went well, Marston being killed is a great angle and sets up a lot of good character work and plot coming up.

>>1761132
running next when? Why was Wylla freaked? Wouldn't she be glad a traitor died?

>>1761151
She's still a little girl, seeing a dude's head with a knife through its eye is more than she can handle.

>>1761101
>>1761110
>>1761114

Damn Father, you sure know how to bring the feels. My eyes watered up.

Glad you ran. Got an ETA on the next session?

>>1761132
A shame we couldn´t meet him before he was killed, to make the emotional impact worse for the questers of the thread.

If you want do some flashbacks exploring how Marston was, it would be nice. Add them to the Landon´s trauma list.

Also, this might be a little bit OoC, but I fear that Lady Wanywood is going to be a kind of "flowerpot" kind of wife, useful only for hr downry and the alliances it would grant. I know that you wouldn´t do such a shallow character and I know that all spouses being Obella is fucking boring. Just wanted to get this out of my throat.

>>1761173
We did, he was the guy with the mustache we met in the first thread.

>>1761178

I meant, like having more time than just a scene to know him better.

>>1761151
>Why was Wylla freaked? Wouldn't she be glad a traitor died?
She's a nine year old? That and she liked Marston, he was before Landon's time. She trusted him.

>>1761173
>A shame we couldn´t meet him before he was killed, to make the emotional impact worse for the questers of the thread.

Well that ship kind of sailed when Landon decided to only go after the silver mine. It's a shame. But that's how it goes.

>If you want do some flashbacks exploring how Marston was, it would be nice.

That's not a bad idea. I might.

>I fear that Lady Wanywood is going to be a kind of "flowerpot" kind of wife, useful only for hr downry and the alliances it would grant. I know that you wouldn´t do such a shallow character and I know that all spouses being Obella is fucking boring.

I think the type of wife she would be would entirely depend upon the type of husband Landon wants to be.

So next run time is a bit tricky. Next day I'll have to fully run will be next Thursday. What I plan to do is have some little spurts of updates throughout the week on this thread when I have the time. This coming Monday I'll have some time.

Now I have to get my notes in order and figure out how the fuck I'm going to do everything now.

I didn't get enough zealotry in this thread.

For real though I love Landon's characterization. That scene with his father hit me pretty hard.

>>1761260
>Wylla is nine years old

The fuck I though she was like thirteen at least? Anyway thanks for running Things have take. A turn for the worse and interesting considering Marston our scapegoat is dead and the scouts at large seem to be traitors and not only that our staff as well considering how marathons head ended up in our tray.

I'm thinking we'll have to commit a massive purge soon of our entire castle not just the scouts but our general household as well, unfortunately we need more intel for that.

What the he'll has Landon done to garner this much hatred? I look forward to finding out

>>1761492
He pushed the old Lord off of the castle.

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>>1761492
we did murder their lord, while breaking our vows of loyalty, in a particularly gruesome manner.

Yeah he was a dick, but the loyalists probably weren't as close to him as we were. He provided food, shelter, and a functional port which is more than can be said about Landon.

Granted, joining with the clansmen is a dick move, but it might seem like the only way to remove a murderer from Whitestone. In some way, their treason can be justified.

Still gonna behead every last one though

>>1761499
>He pushed the old Lord off of the castle

What?

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>>1761536
we killed Lord Earp by throwing him off the castle because he supported the Targs during the Rebellion.

got the castle as a reward, though we aren't a lord like he was. Instead we are a landed knight

>>1761552
That one nigga wielding the rusty poleaxe and wearing beat to shit armour.

>>1761552
>we killed Lord Earp by throwing him off the castle because he supported the Targs during the Rebellion.

Can I get a source? I can not for the love of me remember reading that

>>1761552
>he supported the Targs during the Rebellion.

That was the drop that spilled the glass, maybe not even that, as its imply he commanded us to do one last thing before we throw him off.

>>1761570
Mustn't be reading very hard then desu senpai.

>>1761576
Nigga source me or I call bullshit

>>1761590
Go back and read yourself, I'm not your dad. I'm just amazed you managed to miss a plot point that big.

>>1761590
The very first thread.

>>1761599
>>1761590

And is also mention on the second.

>>1761590
That's pretty common backstory knowledge. House creation?

Landon's loyalty to the Vale was greater than that to Lord Earp. There's a lot more to it. Clearly. But that's the gist.

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>>1761590
>>1761590
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/1719632/#p1721981

>“Bloody fuckin’ hells, you’re a god damned madman Grallner! Wot, planning on throwing me from me tower like Lord Earp are ya? Huh!?”

>>1761568
don't forget the lack of gauntlets

dude must be a hedge knight

>>1761613
Didn't even notice he didn't have gauntlets on. The poor state of his weapon and armour distracted me apparently.

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>>1761636
It's pretty jarring compared to the rest of the guys

impressive dedication to his persona, most people want to be the knight in shining armor. His armor matches a lot of the stuff that would be worn by poor knights(weapon aside, those would never be allowed to rust)

>And then Brynden and Landon embraced themselves in a deep passionat lovemaking

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>>1762947

>>1762947
>Homesexuals
>in the vale
Fuck off you essosi shit

>>1762947
What do you think we are, reachmen, Cornish, young baratheons?

>>1766090
A believer in love!

So I got the day off today. Will be continuing later this afternoon. 2-3ish

>>1766418
Sweet!

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soon

[A Few Days Later…]

Whitestone Keep’s garden held a lychyard in the far corner, close to where the old Sept now stands in disrepair and disuse. Man of the headstones were worn away, some simple others more ornate and fanciful. The vast majority of them were past Earps, as you stand in silent prayer over the two fresh graves that had been dug and set the night prior. You did not envy the diggers, the ground was frozen over here during the best of seasons, this deep in the winter with the stony soil mixed with ice, it had been a struggle. They had been given an extra ration the morning after, the cook saw to it and you had looked the other way. A rarity they knew. But the men who had been buried deserved the respect of your Household and yourself.

The rest of Marston’s body never turned up, you assumed the savages had crucified it somewhere in the forest for your men to find some day. Once the shock of the moment had worn away you had noticed the crescent moon they had carved upon his forehead, that they had taken his ears and tongue. Cador had insisted there was more to this message than what was upon the surface, but you could not see it. It was brutality, cruelty. The Moon Swallow’s attempting to get a rise out of you, or… Someone else pulling the strings. Your mind felt like molasses in the cold, it moved too slowly, you wracked it and had spent the last few nights sleepless to little avail. The rest of the scouts had begun to filter in, Ser Trevor Trant had taken to taking each aside and receiving their testimony of the events, as of now only thirty odd some had returned, all of them had been recruits in the past few years, your men, many with injuries. So far your Knight had pieced together a story of betrayal, ambush, and capture. The goat herder elders had been taken, alongside Marston before they disappeared again into the woods. No sign of Eli and the veterans thus far.

“...May the Stranger guide them now.”

“Amen,” Cador says by your side, you hadn’t noticed him coming up in the deep workings of your own mind. Benny is next to him, he whines and lies down in the snow, staring at the graves.

“Marston was a good man,” you say, “He helped rebuild the Irregulars after the Rebellion, trained them, learned the green men the lands. He was loyal to the Whitestone.”

“He was loyal to his former Knight-Commander,” Cador says, “You forget, those men respected you. It… I’m sorry for doubting his loyalties Landon. He did not deserve to die this way.”

“No… He didn’t,” you respond simply.

Cador sniffs, looking about the garden, his hands on his hips, he was dressed for travel you realized, “I must make my leave today Landon. I cannot keep the Lynderlys waiting. Seven knows how orny they can get if they feel spurned.”

“I understand.”

He tsks, “I know. Just… Take care of yourself Landon. Go… Go see my father in Strong Song. I won’t be able to be there, but I assume he’ll be able to help if you ask for it. Your lands are his lands. I left the invitation with Ser Trevor Trant, I do not trust your steward so far as I can throw him. Have him read it, my father is requesting more than just your presence.”

“My Faith shrouds me Cador,” you say, “I will take solace in my devotion, and it will protect me.”

“It is your shield, just do not grow lax with the one you can hold,” Cador remarks with a short laugh, “You’re still just as good as I remember. Ser Bryen, agreed,” he waves over his cousin. The man who had lost his son upon your lands, “Say your piece, Bryen.”

You look the man who returns the look with somber eyes, “Ser, I have requested that I be released from my cousin’s service.”

“Why?”

“To pledge myself to yours.”

You look at Cador who merely shrugs.

“I was in a dark place Ser, the darkest in fact, I had wished for the Stranger to take me as well. To allow me to rejoin my son. But your words, your Faith helped my broken spirit. It may yet take many years to mend, but it will do so better here, helping you defeat those bastards in the woods, and surrounding myself in the same Faith as yourself. If you will have me,” he kneels and places his sword before you, “Please allow me to swear my sword to you and your causes, Ser Landon Grallner.”

Accept Ser Bryen Belmore’s offer?
>Yay
>Nay

What would you like to do today?
>See Ser Cador Belmore off at the docks and tour the destitute village to see how your scourging of the whore houses goes
>See Ser Trevor Trant, as your Knight-Commander he had some troubles he wished to speak to you about
>See Maffew Shett, the man had not been himself of late
>Someone else, something else?

>>1766678
>Yay

>See Ser Trevor Trant, as your Knight-Commander he had some troubles he wished to speak to you about

>>1766678
Yay, Trant

>>1766678
>>Yay
>See Ser Trevor Trant, as your Knight-Commander he had some troubles he wished to speak to you about

>>1766678
>>Yay

>See Maffew Shett, the man had not been himself of late
if Shett is a traitor like he appears to be, we need to root him out before anything else. He seems like a red herring though, he might actually be trying to help the lands. Either way, we need to get a reading on him

>>1766678
>Yay
>Trant

Kind of figured Landon would want the Belmore Knight on. Look at that a whole three Knights now. And one that is of an age with Landon. Moving up.

That was a direct result of Landon going out of his way to console Bryen and then rolling well on his test.

Anyway off to see Trevor Trant then.

>>1766714

Before we leave, let Wat out of the cell and get his sister a position in the court as a maid or handmaiden. He was a loyal sort and helped out, we should help him out.

>>1766678
>Yay

>See Ser Trevor Trant, as your Knight-Commander he had some troubles he wished to speak to you about

>>1766736
I would hope we let him out after he was proved innocent

not sure if Landon would let a retired whore act as a maid in his keep though. Maybe give Wat a few dragons, they could last a couple months depending on the size of his family

>>1766747
It should be fine. She can earn redmeption from her wicked trade with honest work. Or we could just give her a job in the kitchen

would any of y'all be down to play AGO/B/ whilst this is going , by the way VERY nice work OP

>>1766678
>Yay

>See Ser Trevor

>>1766740

Work on them pastebins!

>>1766736
You need to be some form of mobility to be a handmaiden or else it's a slight to the person. And she would be Wylla's handmaiden since she's the only last here.

>>1766864
Maid or kicthen girl would be the most proper thing to employ her as.

“I accept your vow Ser Bryen Belmore,” you say stiffly, no Knight had ever offered his services to you before. Ser Michel had been a man in Lord Earp’s services before the Rebellion and had been Knighted by Trevor on the field. Both just sort of came with the new holdings. It actually filled your heart with pride that a man who was so close to the brink had been so moved by your words, by a devotion to the Faith that he would choose to swear his sword to you even after such a tragedy.

Ser Bryen nods solemnly and stands once more, “When you travel to Strong Song I will accompany you, and I will collect my Lady-wife and our girls. I find the laughter of children brings life to old stones.”

“They are welcome here Ser Bryen,” you respond and turn to Cador, “You’re..?”

“Fine with this, entirely,” he says with a reassuring smile, “Bryen had asked it of me this morning. And I feel better with a Belmore here in Whitestone Keep, you’ve a war to fight Landon, and I find myself with little desire to leave but my duty.”

“Comes first,” you finish with a strong word, “Your duty to marry, entertain the Lords and Ladies of the Vale, and produce an heir. It is far more important than I am. It is your duty.”

“You sound like my father,” Cador says and shakes his head, “It was good to see you again Landon. I know you have endless thing to do here in Whitestone. We will see ourselves out.”

Cador offers his hand and you take it by the forearm, the two of you pressing your foreheads against one another, “May the Seven guide and protect you Ser Cador Belmore.”

“And you as well, Ser Landon Grallner.”

---

With goodbyes done you’ve traveled to the barracks where Ser Trevor Trant had taken up post as of late and kept his quarters. The infirmary has a scattering of Scouts about, the Irregulars, or shattered remains of them at least. The First had left this morning, the rest of them at least. Liam had grown anxious without Lincoln here and had taken the rest of his men to link up with them at the silver mine. A few men salute off to you as you pass, Ser Bryen and Benny in tow, though for the most part the mood is sullen in the barracks and morale is low, losing Marston and a good few scores of men had been a blow to the men, one that you had felt as well.

Entering Trevor’s quarters you find him stood over his own war table, examining a map of the area. Ser Michel is with him, sitting in the corner with a wineskin. Your Knight-Commander looks up and his face changes, “Morning Landon. Glad you could make it. Ser Bryen, I had thought you gone?”

“He is our newest sword,” you state.

“Have you horse?” Trevor asks.

“Aye, two. Plate, lances, the whole lot. Had it disembarked this morning.”

“Good, the cavalrymen need another man, another Knight would be preferred, acceptable?”

“Absolutely Ser.”

“Good, Ser Michel will get you acquainted with the men, if the two of you will excuse us I need to speak with Landon privately.”

The two leave and Trevor slouches back into his chair offering you one across from him, his was is frustrated, you knew the look on the old Knight he sighs and rubs his face, “The Irregulars are as good as destroyed.”

“We can recruit more,” you offer, not wanting to write off your scouts just yet.

“It will take months Landon, at least two before they’re back up to full strength. And I don’t have the remotest idea of who could replace Marston. He was our best, he knew these lands better than any man I’ve ever met. His maps are invaluable to us, and will continue to be. But his second, Eli is still off in the woods doing Seven knows what, with Seven knows bloody well who.”

You turn your head attempting to ignore his profanity, “I need them Trevor.”

“Asher needs them more, they all know how to use a bow and the ‘Bowmen are just hanging on by a thread. Aye the men are bloodied now, but I’d prefer to have them at full strength.”

“What are you suggesting Trevor?”

The old Knight leans forward and motions towards you, “Dissolve the Irregulars. Put the men we have left into the ‘Bowmen. It’ll bring them up to full strength within the week like the First will be. We will be back to full strength and we can take the fight to the Moon Swallows sooner rather than later. Those Village Elders are not going to last long with the clansmen, we need to find their hideout and rout them before it is too late.”

“And how would we find them without the scouts?”

“Seven Landon I don’t know, the scouts in the ‘Bowmen will play double duty. But we cannot wait months for something to happen! Or more heads to appear on our tables!” he says with raised voice. You stare at him silently, not quite having the words to respond and he sighs, his face dropping, “I’m sorry. Marston’s death has been hard, I’ve known the man for what feels like a lifetime.”

“It’s been hard on us all.”

“Not least of all the boy Wat,” Trevor says leaning back again, “Had him pulled up from the hole and washed off like you request. Lucky we did, his head wound had been getting pretty bad. Winston had him fixed up and he’s… Eager to be released and ‘git back at that damned lout, Eli’, to quote him.. His sister has been at the castle gates the past few days constantly asking to see him since the lads sent word to her. To be honest I believe we owe them a pittance for their troubles. We did imprison an innocent man and put a woman out of work.”

“Whoring is an affront to the Faith Trevor,” you state firmly, “She will find work.”

“In the village? I doubt it…” he trails off before flipping through a few pages of maps and pulling out one of the extended borders of the area, “See here? By the border of House Badics in the northwest, in the Mountains close by the goat herder trail?”

“What of it?” you say examining the map with squinted eyes.

“One of Marston’s old maps, he marked the place a refuge if the weather got too bad while they were afield. My understanding is it’s a rundown abandoned Tower. Use to belong to some Tollett bannerman before the Badics took those lands after the Rebellion, was an Earp holding before them. Now it’s no man’s land. I suspect that our clansmen are holed up there, at least some of them. With the proper paperwork on Maffew’s end sent off to the Eyrie we could make a claim to the area and enforce our law upon it, giving us leave to invade the place. And the Badics can piss off with any claims they might harbor. Maffew says it should only take a week by raven, enough time to get the boys back up to strength. If we do as I recommend at least.”

Your eyes keep upon the map for awhile longer and Trevor clears his throat.

“One more thing Landon,” Trevor says with some discomfort, “Asher, Liam, and Lincoln have all brought it up to me that our arms and armor are… Lacking for lack of a better word. They’re old, and worn, and we’re getting by but it’s a struggle. We could use some better arms at the very least. House Bordain, as much as I know you are loathe to deal with the Iron Lord, has left an open offer for bulk quantities of weapons of far better craftsmanship than we can produce or have access to. Just a thought if we’re gearing up for war.”

“Costs?”

“It can get expensive,” Trevor says with a different tone, “Four hundred dragons for superior quality weapons per unit, only the cavalry and the First would benefit though. Far as I know the Iron Lord only plys in melee weapons. You can feel free to attempt to arrange a discount but...”

“I would sooner play host to the Badics.”

“I thought as much,” Trevor says with a chortle, “You’ve been taking a more active hand in our affairs of late Landon. You use to be the Knight-Command, these are your decisions to make.”

Dissolve the Irregulars (Green Scouts)?
If Yay: Receive 3 Power back, the First Regiment and Longbowmen will both be to fighting power by the end of the week. Slightly improve morale.
If Nay: The Scouts will take 2 months, the Longbowmen a month, and the First until the end of the week to all be back up to full strength. Greatly improve morale.
>Yay
>Nay

What to do with Wat?
>Allow him to rejoin the military (with whom pending above vote)
>Discharge him with some money to take care of himself and his family
>Let him sit in prison for the remainder of his days

Sister?
>Find her a place in the castle to atone for her signs with good honest work
>Shoo her off, she is a distraction to the household and guards with her tempting ways

Have Maffew put the paperwork through to claim the Ruined Tower?
>The Dawntower
An old tower built by a third-son Earp generations ago. Was lost in a dispute with House Tollett and granted to their bannermen. Has fallen into disuse and waste over the years by their inability to police it properly. A far-flung tower in the mountains that is hardly known to those outside of the best trackers and historians now.
Costs: 3 Lands
Provides: 2 Defense, -1 Law; Cost and time to construct a Tower in this location halved.
>Yay
>Nay

Deal with the Iron Lord, William Bordain?
>Send an order for Superior Quality Weapons (Spend 2 Wealth, +1 Damage to either Cavalry or Infantry)
>Have Maffew send a letter to negotiate with the man to lower the cost.
>Do nothing, your funds were too low to begin with.

Sorry about the long post time on this one. Trevor had a lot to talk about regarding military affairs. Very much a discussion filled vote here, so don’t think you’re bound to only picking an option, feel free to ask questions or come up with your own solutions.

>>1766882

>>Nay


>>Allow him to rejoin the military (with whom pending above vote)


>>Find her a place in the castle to atone for her signs with good honest work


>>Yay
>>Have Maffew send a letter to negotiate with the man to lower the cost.

>>1766882
Yay
Rejoin
Work
Yay
Nah, gotta save that money for a Septon, maybe next month.

>>1766882
>Nay

>Allow him to rejoin the military (with whom pending above vote)

>Find her a place in the castle to atone for her signs with good honest work

>Yay

>Have Maffew send a letter to negotiate with the man to lower the cost.

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>>1766882
>>Yay
we can rebuild our scouts later, right now we need our forces at full strength. To help with morale, we can increase their rations. The Seven know that by the time this is over, we'll have less mouths to feed.

>Allow him to rejoin the military (with whom pending above vote)

>Find her a place in the castle to atone for her signs with good honest work
a job in the scullery will keep her out of sight of the men and provide honest work

>Yay

>Have Maffew send a letter to negotiate with the man to lower the cost.
emphasize the need for them to protect our smallfolk and stop the clans from raiding. Bordain would see the importance of disciplining the clans of the mountain

>>1766882
>>>1766882
>Yay
>Rejoin
>Work
>Yay
>Nothing

>>1766882
>Yay
>Allow him
>Find her a place to work
>Yay
>Negotiate

>>1766882
>Yay

>Allow him to rejoin the military (with whom pending above vote)

>Find her a place in the castle to atone for her signs with good honest work

>Do nothing, your funds were too low to begin with.

I'm writing but will go ahead and call the votes. Surprised there wasn't more discussion though.

>>1766882
>>Yay
>Allow him to rejoin the military (with whom pending above vote)
>Find her a place in the castle to atone for her signs with good honest work
>Yay
>Have Maffew send a letter to negotiate with the man to lower the cost.

Can we have someone else do or write the negotiations on our behalf?

>>1766959
CAn we formerly apologize to Wat? Tell him we needed to confirm and if he was right we didn't want our releasing him to tip off the others? We let the necessitates of the situation keep him there longer than necessary and for that we apologize.

“As much as I dislike it Trevor, you have the right of it,” you sigh, “Have the Irregulars dissolved. Figure out where the men fit better, most will likely fall under Asher’s command I assume. I want everyone to be ready to march the moment we are able.”

“Of course, I’ll send a messenger to your brothers. Seems our fortifications have gone untested as of yet. But for once Lincoln is taking something seriously.”

“His wound?”

“More of a scratch than anything, or so he says,” Trevor says, “We would do well to request a Maester, Landon. Or… Raise a Support corps or something. We have very little in the way of proper medics here. If we get ourselves this beat up again I fear we won’t be able to recover with any sort of urgency as we did this time.”

“I will consider it,” you state, “Have Wat brought up, press him back into service as well. I’m sure he will appreciate serving again. He is a loyal man.”

“Of course-”

“And…” you pause scratching at your neck, “Have the guards allow his sister in, the cook will find her work. Good honest work. Atonement for her crimes and away from the eyes of men.”

“Scullery always could use more hands,” Trevor says rolling his eyes.

“Either way,” you say quickly moving on, “Have Maffew find the proper papers and send them to the Eyrie as quickly as possible, we will make our claim on the Dawntower. And have him send a letter to the Iron Lord as well, I wish to negotiate a proper price. Four hundred dragons is robbery.”

“I certainly hope he is willing to listen though,” Trevor says, “Him being married with children to a Tollett, historical Earp, rivals and you pressing a claim on land he also has a claim upon by way of his wife. Well… Let us hope he is a reasonable man.”

“Silver speaks,” you respond.

“And he is a man of iron,” Trevor says, “But of course, I will see to it, but perhaps it will be worth you visiting Maffew with the orders yourself. The man has seemed off the past week since Cador’s visit. He only confides in you so, Seven knows if the man has something on his mind it will be worth picking it.”

“Of course Trevor, thank you.”

“A few more points though Landon,” he says before you rise, “If you would.”

You wave a hand to continue.

“Lord Benedar Belmore has invited you to visit Strong Song within the month,” he says, “He has requested both your presence and Lady Wylla Earp as well.”

“Why the girl?”

“The letter did not say Landon, but I do not assume it is for afternoon tea. I do not forget that the Belmores saw both of us as rivals once, that the Earp girl is the last of a line he disliked very much. I would keep her close Landon, she has more worth than you think.”

You face flattens, remembering the pure hatred and disdain the girl regards you with, then the tears and cries of her just two nights passed. Marston had always been kind to her you remember, even against your wishes.

“Just a thought Landon,” Trevor says, “Another being that it may be worthwhile to approach them regarding military aid. The Belmores can certainly spare some Knights and men-at-arms to aid in eradicating clansmen. Particularly those that slayed his kin. Ser Bryen might be of some help there. And it is a Lord’s duty to help his bannermen.”

A reasonable suggestion you think, nodding, though you almost felt a pull of dislike. Never been particularly keen on asking for help.

“And a final thing,” he says shuffling through a smaller pile of papers, “With the loses we have room for another company of men. And the military could use a bit of a boost in my opinion. We have the ability to raise to support, archers or a garrison. I’m afraid we don’t have the supplies or men available to fill out anything else more specialized. It would take a month to raise them, and they’ll all be green as hell but if you wished we could start. Or… Perhaps put double time training into a few of current companies. Your call Landon.”

Spend Power? (You have 4)
>Raise a unit of Green Support (3 Power) (Time 1 Month)
>Raise a unit of Green Archers (4 Power) (Time 1 Month)
>Raise a unit of Green Garrison (3 Power) (Time 1 Month)
>Train one of your current units for 2 Power (Time 2 Months per unit) (Specify unit)
>Do nothing, sit on the Power

What would you like to do after speaking with Ser Trevor Trant?
>See Maffew Shett, to bring him the orders and talk to the recently changed man
>Join Asher’s patrol of the destitute village and docks, supposedly there has been a riot this morning after Cador’s departure
>Do something else, see someone else?

>>1767015
>>Spend Power?
Could you show us what units we have now and where they are located?

>>What would you like to do after speaking with Ser Trevor Trant?
>Join Asher’s patrol of the destitute village and docks, supposedly there has been a riot this morning after Cador’s departure

>>1767015
>>Raise a unit of Green Support (3 Power) (Time 1 Month)
>See Maffew Shett, to bring him the orders and talk to the recently changed man

>Make a note to Apologize to Wat. Despite the necessity of his confinement we should have let him know it was temporary. Wrongfully jailing a man reminds you too much or Emmerst.

After re-read everything it seems that Maffew is a traitor or a collaborator.

There are a few things we can check to confirm if Maffew is playing us.

First if he follow our order of sending the gifts we receive to the smallfolk by the docks.
Second see if he has alter the Chief Gaoler newest report on the prisoners and their crimes.
Third check the armory records with him and see if he has concealed the fact the weapons are missing and if we can track back the sword that was in the hands of the Moon Swallows.
Fourth interview the surviving scouts about their movements and Maffew's records.

>>1766997
>Can we have someone else do or write the negotiations on our behalf?
That'll be Maffew, since Landon can't really read or write. He'll write the letter by Landon's word, and adding in the proper negotiations to the best of his ability. There will be a roll for Maffew's ability to negotiate that you can affect with certain actions.

>>1767023
I can:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_jWvJJcJTZ021L504bpNkF-V_B-w9K8Q0EAqusPzAr8/edit?usp=sharing

Short and easy:
Trained Archers - Defending Whitestone Keep
Trained Infantry - Defending Silver Mine (Fortifications)
Trained Cavalry - Defending Whitestone Keep

>>1767035
Alright, in that case
>>1767015
>Raise a unit of Green Garrison (3 Power) (Time 1 Month)
We need to be able to conduct operations without leaving some of our trained, skilled men behind. A garrison, trained specifically to defend, would do wonders for allowing to project our power further.

Also
>Do something else, see someone else?
Send a raven to the Citadel requesting a Maester

Finally, supporting >>1767024's idea of
>>Make a note to Apologize to Wat. Despite the necessity of his confinement we should have let him know it was temporary. Wrongfully jailing a man reminds you too much or Emmerst.

>>1767015
>Raise a unit of Green Support (3 Power) (Time 1 Month)

>See Maffew Shett, to bring him the orders and talk to the recently changed man

>>1767015
Going with >>1767041
And below.
>>Make a note to Apologize to Wat. Despite the necessity of his confinement we should have let him know it was temporary. Wrongfully jailing a man reminds you too much or Emmerst.

>>1767041
>Send a raven to the Citadel requesting a Maester

That requires 10 Wealth. Of which you have 2 of. And the general consensus seems to be that Landon would prefer to get a Septon before a Maester. Or so it has seemed at least from the discussions that have been had in the past.

>>1767053
Are there any village clerics in Whitestone or any of the surrounding lands? They could be sort of a makeshift Maester.

>>1767015
Garrison
Asher

>>1767053
Yeah, we need a goddamn Septon goddammit.

>>1767058
No one dedicated to the craft that Landon knows of. That is amongst the reasons that it takes a good while for your units to get back to full strength.

Asher will tell you there is a Hedge Witch in the mountains that the smallfolk will go to for salves and herbal medicine. Landon would sooner have her burned at the stake than take her into his Household.

>>1767053

I really want us to reconsider this. Could we get a loan to pay for it? I am all for the Septon, but we NEED a Maester urgently for everything. For reading, accounting, healing, legal advice, etc.

>>1767080
This desu. Not only for the run of the mill soldiers but also for our brother or any other people in employ that might need help. I'd be willing to take a small loan if it meant saving lives.

Alright looks like a garrison and going with Asher. I think.

This all got very messy in there.

>>1767080
I feel it is incredibly in character for Landon. It would need to be a very strong argument I feel to break character if when the vote comes up.

>>1767098
Why not just double down then and take a couple loans to get a Maester and a Septon? Both would be tremendously helpful, the Maester for the reasons stated above and the Septon for improving morale and making sure the people maintain the faith in Whitestone.

>>1767098

Maybe its just me but we(and by extension Landon) are seeming the septon as a vanity. We feel we have to get a septon because we are so pious, As in "Look at me I got a septon, you see how pious I am because I got one?".

It may take a little self-reflection to see but its borders on haughtiness, something Landon should look down on if the faith is involve.

And this while it might hurt my argument, but the situation plays very well with his vice to be famous, so props for that.

>>1767146
That's very true. We had a bad run in with our previous Septon so it could lead to cynicism on Landon's part towards the church. An important distinction should be made between church and faith, in that one can still be a godly, pious man without relying on a bunch of old, corrupt Septons. Indeed, a true worshipper should be able to heed the will of the Seven with or without the help of a Septon.

>>1767159
>We had a bad run in with our previous Septon so it could lead to cynicism on Landon's part towards the church.

What are you talking about? Landon from all accounts had a very good relationship with the old Septon who died before the Rebellion iirc.

It sounds to me like you guys want to force pragmatism in favor of playing the character.

>>1767188
We had a drunken fool as our previous Septon iirc. I'm not trying to force blind pragmatism; what I suggest is in line with a Protestant way of thought. Since we live in a continent controlled an analogue of the medieval Catholic Church, obviously we wouldn't be open about our grievances, but there are certainly subtle ways we can refuse to pay heed to the church.

>>1767188

He is talking about the drunken septon we punish last time.

“We need to garrison the Whitestone properly Trevor.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Trevor says making a note, “I dislike having to split our forces so much. Shouldn’t take much more than a month to get the men together. Just don’t count on them being too useful until we get them trained, ya?”

“Understood,” you respond, “You know… Thinking on it, I think I’ll go to see that Wat is released myself. And… Issue a proper apology, the Faith would demand it of me.”

“If you think it best Landon,” Trevor says. A knock interrupts the both of you and Trevor admits one of Asher’s bowmen, who he addresses as Marc, “Report.”

“Sers, there was a minor riot by the docks after Ser Cador’s departure. We believe it had to do with the food being handed out. From the farmers up north?”

“Rally the rest of the men,” you say, “And Captain Asher. We will take a patrol down and restore law and order. Be ready for me by the stables in ten, understood?”

“Yes Ser!” Marc says with a quick salute and dashes off. Benny looks up from his place by your chair and yawns.

Trevor nods and leans back, “Be careful down there Ser.”

---

“I will escort the prisoner myself Winston,” you say.

“As you say milord,” the gaoler says simply handing him off in fetters to you, “Ere’s the key. Glad ta be done with ‘em.”

“If you had half a bloody ear-” Wat grumbles to himself.

“Enough Wat,” you state firmly, undoing his fetters and calming placing them on the table, “You are a freed man Wat. Much has changed since we last spoke. We lost a good man your Captain.”

“Heard milord. I’m sorry I couldn’t warn yinz earlier.”

You place a hand on the boy’s shoulder, all bone, “No Wat. I am sorry. That so many of my men, my House, and myself failed you. You are man strong with the Faith, had pressed to tell a lie and yet they did not listen. Even I did not listen more than I should have. I hope someday you will understand it was a decision of necessity. Your time in those cells, the hole, will be compensated, you are free to rejoin my ranks.”

“Oh thank you milord,” he says with a nervous shuffle of his feet, “But you ain’t got nothin to pologize for, not to someone like me. I just wanna see me sister gain, make sure she’s safe. Get some food in me belly…” he trails off when one of the ‘Bowmen enters with a young frail looking girl who is in absolute tears begging not to be sent to the cells. His mouth gaps and you can see the tears in his own eyes, “Alli! It’s me! Stop yer bloody cryin’ girl, come ‘ere.”

You watch as the sibling embrace, the young girl a hysterical mess.

“My men will see to it you are both feed from my kitchens. Alli was it?”

The girl nods from the embrace of her brother.

“You will speak with my cook, the man is good, he will find you work here.”

Wat looks to you awe-struck, “Milord, do ya mean it?”

“Yes, on my word,” you say, “The Faith says that man are not born sinners, and that with proper devotion, time, and asking for forgiveness even the worst of men can be once again shrouded in their light. Consider it atonement for the crimes committed upon my lands repaid with good honest work. I do not wish to hear of you falling to old vices within my Household is this understood?”

The both nod furiously and sputter out yeses and promises. As much of a vow as you could expect from the smallfolk. With that you decide you work here is done, and order the ‘Bowman to escort them to the kitchens and you will meet him shortly.

---

“Men ready Asher?”

“Of course m’lord. My boys are always ready. Cept when we’re getting ass fucked by clansmen,” he grumbles before a look, “Apologies m’lord. Too much time in the woods, forgot me manners. Thanks for the assist by the by.”

You scoff and mount up on Warrior, “Five by five formation, Asher you ride with me.”

Asher heaves himself into the copper rouncey’s saddle with ease and nods shortly to you. The small column follows after the two of you as you receive a rather lengthy and detailed report regarding his time guarding the silver mine. Two month tour that had resulted in absolutely nothing more than a single skirmish with the Moon Swallows, about five or ten men no injuries, something you had heard before from Marston. They tried not to track very often, rather avoiding the Moon Swallows and engagement at all costs. The entrance to the silver mine was a bloody death trap now, his words, they even had a makeshift iron gate they had cobbled together. Most of the miners lived in a section of the mine near the top where they had dug out all of the ore and decided to make a barracks of sort out of. The ‘Bowmen would camp outside typically even in the frigid cold.

“If I might be so bold milord. An outpost by the mine would certainly help us out, have something for regular patrols to rest at and defend properly between trips. Just a thought.”

“Noted Asher,” you say as the two of you enter the town, the village square lies just ahead, a contingent of your men are guarding three wagons filled with food and ale, Cador had promised to leave some behind as well so you imagine at least half of it was from him. You arrival gains the attention of the mob, who are still apparently still very riled up and they rush your train.

“‘Bowmen!” Asher calls and the columns break and surround you and the Captain two deep, bows drawn to full length, one man on bended knee the other standing above him. Asher’s hand is raised in a fist to hold and the crowd stops almost immediately.

“What is going on here!” you demand in a deep commanding voice.

A man from the crowd steps forward his hands raised, “Those men be inistin the food ain’t for us! That’s not wot we was hearin’ milord! Told us to leave! Threatened us with violence!”

Asher perks up and pulls his myrish lens from his breast pocket, “Ser..?”

You look up and see the five men that you thought were your guards beginning to scramble and get on horses and yoking the animals to draw the wagons away.

“Those are Marston’s veterans,” Asher says adjusting the lens, “I know Fredrick anywhere, that son of a fucking cunting whore. ‘Bowmen! Cut off the exits! Fucking… Get out of the way people! If you ain’t gonna help move the fuck out of the way!”

The crowd begins to run off into the various houses and into alleyways to avoid your men scattering to close off escape. You dig your spurs into Warrior, ripping your sword from the scabbard and race towards the turncloaks with Asher not far behind his bow raised and drawn.

What do you wish to do?
>Attack, kill them to a man
>Surround them and force them to surrender

>>1767290
>>Attack, kill them almost to a man. Leave three survivors, so we can extract what we need from them to find the rest. how clean their deaths are will be determined by how quickly their tongues wag.

>>1767159
>We had a bad run in with our previous Septon
I think you're confusing two different people. Landon's old Septon belonged to Lord Earp, the man had a great relationship with the young Landon. Taught him old scriptures and the way of the Faith and how to speak properly. Landon loved that man like a father and was heartbroken when he passed.

The drunk Septon you met in the first thread was a passerbyer, a traveling Septon that was hoping to find patronage in Landon's halls at least for a few nights. He was scourged and sent along his way.

>>1767295
This.

>>1767295
Yeah I can agree with that.

>>1767290
>Surround them and force them to surrender

>>1767295
This

>>1767295
Supporting. We do not tolerate those who steal from the smallfolk, especially in hard times like these.

>>1767317
Especially when they are traitors and/or deserters in their own right.

>>1767295
Alright then, popular enough write-in. Not sure why I didn't include something similar in the original options.

Anyway!

>Please roll 9d6 (5D+3B+1B for Horse Mounted attack) for Fighting (Long Blades).

I'll take the first two.