>>4341421
“Why do you reckon they’re bigger up north?” Septon Boremund throws another question your way, continuing the topic that has sporadically dominated the last hour of conversation.

“Haven’t given much thought to the ‘why’ of it all. That’s for your types. Everyone knows it’s true though. If I had to wager on it? Bigger fish, mayhaps? Or the cold does something to them. That might be it. They’ve giants up that high north and they’re as big as dragons were,” you say.

“Giants,” your wife mutters in disbelief while fanning herself with growing impatience.

“Oho so now you think yet another creature doesn’t exist? And I thought I wed a kind lady,” you shake your head in exaggerated disappointment. “What crueler fate for these poor creatures than to be willed out of existence by the close-minded?”

“There are some occasions in which I truly do regret insisting you practice your letters with me. You were dangerous enough without becoming poetic,” Cerelle retorts.

You ignore her and turn back to the more amiable Septon Boremund. “Any road, it’s the southron ones you want. Better looking, better singers… more pliable even…”

“Mermaids. Don’t. Exist,” your wife repeats.

“Not if I were around their waters they wouldn’t. They’d all be merladies then,” you smirk. Your loyal septon guffaws at her outraged expression while Lady Cassandra Bar Emmon looks on in confusion, missing the jest entirely. Your ward isn’t the sharpest lady you’ve met, but she doesn’t exactly need to be. Hells, a good many lads likely prefer her this way. Her lands and titles and beddableness will no doubt be enough to content some lucky suitor one day soon. Would that it wasn’t presently your rival of Massey…

“Come,” is all Cerelle says to Lady Bar Emmon, the most you think she’s spoken to your guest so far today, as she sets off to demand to be seated sooner.

“If they’re not real, then why’s it matter?” you ask your septon.

“Might be she tries to tell you that first,” he shrugs. “Can’t say I know the lady all that well, but I get the sense she enjoys these little banters with you. I’d say her mood’s of other things.”

You nod, conceding the point. It’s been a tedious day so far. Despite rising early, you had trouble enough even approaching the Sept of Baelor for the wedding ceremony itself. Masses in their thousands, both highborn and low, turned out for the momentous occasion. Had you not had a guard of armored knights forcing the sea of bodies to part, you might well have been stuck in the crowd trying to get the litter through even now. The ascent up the steps was taxing on your lady wife as well, then the interior was standing room only. By the end of the droning ceremony which you could barely hear, the sept was on the uncomfortable side of hot for just about everyone aside from you.

>>4341425
Thankfully, the doors were left open to air out the holy cattle pens and you were able to slip out before it turned into a stampede to be the first to the Red Keep… where you now find yourselves waiting to be seated in the Great Hall. You weren’t the only ones who had the foresight to slip out, nor were you the only ones to keep enough steel on retainer to clear a path. Not by a long shot. It’s enough to make you envy your knights, who are assuredly off drinking now that their escorting duties are at an end until tonight. You could use a drink. It’s been hours. And you’re not the only one. Lady Cassandra Bar Emmon has withered under your wife’s icy silence throughout the day, the latter being well aware of the former’s willingness to watch an as of yet unresolved assassination plot unfold… and also spread her legs for you. Not that you took her up on it and not that she’s the first to try, but she does have the singularly dubious honor of both failing at seduction and failing at plotting against you, and Lady Cerelle Lydden’s cold, quiet stares are far worse than any impassioned yelling you might’ve resorted to.

Though even Cerelle looks dangerously close to raising her voice to the stewards and pages who should be seating you. There seems to be some sort of disagreement brewing between her and them as her pseudo-rival looks on helplessly. You take it that’s not a normal occurrence. Curious.

You turn to the septon. “Shall we?”

“I’m not your date, lad. I’m just here for the show. Lead on,” the septon says. He’s cleaned up for the event, if only slightly. He still wears his studded tunic and his beard is as unruly as ever, but he’s elected to leave his mace behind. Apparently, there are those who might take it as violating some old dragon king’s edict on the Faith being under arms. Seems stupid and you can see that being taken any number of ways, but then you haven’t exactly gotten around to reading the edict either.

“What’s this?” you demand, approaching with a natural swagger in your step, one hand on your gem-studded belt and dangerously close to the dragonbone hilt of your sword.

>>4341427
You can almost feel bad for the three harried-looking courtiers who turn your way. You’re probably not the first to shit on their day, nor will you be the last. Whatever uncomfortableness unfolding with your pregnant wife is amplified on their faces at the sight of your approach. Even the two pages can see by your particular style that you are most certainly not their typical knight or lord. Sure, you may tone it down sometimes, but it still comes through regardless of your wear, which is presently your seafoam green Stormbringers formal regalia denoting your rank as captain. It’s not drastically different than that worn by many of the other assembled lords and knights, but it is certainly less puffy and more… lethal if you had to put a word on it. A captain’s wear. Top all that off with a rather ostentatious gem-studded belt from Qarth and a scabbard to match, and you think you might just be beginning to present yourself appropriately.

Not in the habit of repeating yourself, you look to the group for an answer. The oldest of the three, likely a steward, recovers first. “My lord, as I was just explaining to my lady, her party is to be seated in section---”

“In a wholly inadequate section amongst landed knights of forgettable status. It is either a particularly egregious mistake or a deliberate slight. Which would you say it is, steward?” Cerelle interrupts.

“My lady, Her Grace the Queen personally blessed these arrangements…” he starts.

>>4341430
“Enough,” you say, thinking it over. You know the meaning behind your wife’s words plainly enough even if the others don’t. It’s something you’ve spoken of before, the jealous look the now-Queen Cersei gave Cerelle when she was shown favor by Lord Tywin at your own wedding. It’s entirely possible that you are being put in your place, as it were. Then again, you are technically just a landed knight, so it’s not as if you would be placed at the top of the dais to begin with… even if you’re pretty sure you’ve earned at least a little prestige between your marriage and at least the appearance that you’ve been hard at work against the rebels.

>Roll with it. Let them lead you to your assigned seats. You’ll let this play out for now.
>Push for a rearrangement. Somewhere that more accurately reflects what you think your standing is.
>Ask to be seated with Cerelle’s parents. This will likely provide you with the best opportunity, but probably has the highest chance of blowing back on you.
>Something else.

Whew, it's the day I expected to continue on, but definitely not the right time. I'll leave this open overnight since it's an important vote and so everyone can filter back in after the break. Thanks for the patience!

>>4341439
>Push for a rearrangement. Somewhere that more accurately reflects what you think your standing is.
Welcome back Boggs

>>4341439
>Push for a rearrangement. Somewhere that more accurately reflects what you think your standing is

>>4341439
>>Ask to be seated with Cerelle’s parents. This will likely provide you with the best opportunity, but probably has the highest chance of blowing back on you.
high risk, high reward

>>4341439
>Ask to be seated with Cerelle’s parents. This will likely provide you with the best opportunity, but probably has the highest chance of blowing back on you.
Our brand is pulling stupid suicidal shit

Welcome back, Boggs!
>>4341439
>Ask to be seated with Cerelle’s parents. This will likely provide you with the best opportunity, but probably has the highest chance of blowing back on you.
Roll those Charm (Convince) dice, baby

>>4341439
>Push for a rearrangement. Somewhere that more accurately reflects what you think your standing is.

>>4341439
>Ask to be seated with Cerelle’s parents. This will likely provide you with the best opportunity, but probably has the highest chance of blowing back on you.
No pain no gain

>>4341439
>>Push for a rearrangement. Somewhere that more accurately reflects what you think your standing is.

>>4341660
let's lay this charming thing on real thick. M'right boys?

>>4341439
>Push for a rearrangement. Somewhere that more accurately reflects what you think your standing is.

Remember, her father hates us and rebuffed our request for military aid

It /will/ backfire if we try and reach too high

>>4341439
>Push for a rearrangement. Somewhere that more accurately reflects what you think your standing is.
Yeah, not the best time to talk with our father-in-law.

>>4341439
>>Ask to be seated with Cerelle’s parents. This will likely provide you with the best opportunity, but probably has the highest chance of blowing back on you.

>>4341439
>Ask to be seated with Cerelle’s parents. This will likely provide you with the best opportunity, but probably has the highest chance of blowing back on you.
Go high or die trying

Tie game so far. Still open for a few hours.

Good to see you back Boggsy.

>Push for a rearrangement. Somewhere that more accurately reflects what you think your standing is

Is it an incredibly ballsy move? Maybe. Should Aurion be seated amongst landed knights? Absolutely. But Cerelle is the firstborn and only daughter of an important bannerman to the queens father. She deserves better even if we don't.

>>4341439
>Ask to be seated with Cerelle’s parents. This will likely provide you with the best opportunity, but probably has the highest chance of blowing back on you.

No doing this halfway. Cerelles mom wanted her to come to this to spend more time with her.

>>4341439
>>Push for a rearrangement. Somewhere that more accurately reflects what you think your standing is.

>>4342257
>No doing this halfway.
this isn't a halfway measure. We are just making sure we sit where we deserve to be. Making sure we aren't stiffed. If we fuck the queen over. Expect bullshit. Let's chat with others around our station. We already have enough connections to high places. Like a direct fucking connection to the king with the booze deal, and Tywin even if our inlaw hates us.

Let's make some lateral connections. We can deal with people on our level and earn our keep and some friends where we can eat at the same table with. We could even push with those at the high end of our station. Friends in high places are nice but in certain moments so are friends in "middle" and even low places.
We knew coming into this we wouldn't be sitting with her parents. Now that we know the queen personally fucked us. Lets just to where we should be and charm EVERYONE there. No one to look down us with our station as well as wife around.

>>4342432
Maybe we are looking at this differently because I saw the roll with it vote as being where we are supposed to be. Pretending to be more than a landed knight is reaching. It's a downgrade for Cerelle but that's what she married. Either way we are fucking with the seating plan and overriding the queen which is crazy presumptuous. If we are going to push it then I don't want to do it halfway. At least sitting with the in-laws is a halfway decent excuse as opposed to "I'm better than this." I don't care if Lord Lydden gets his panties in a twist for the thousandth time. He's not going to make a scene and even Cersei can't be dumb enough to openly insult her father's principle bannermen at dinner. To me it's the safe option by being ballsy instead of being lukewarm in defiance. Fuck half measures.

8-7 in favor of the middle ground option. I'll have the first post up at 8 EST. Expecting to get through a decent amount of content tonight. In the meantime,

>Can I get 3 rolls of 7d6 for Convince?

Rolled 4, 5, 5, 2, 4, 5, 3 = 28 (7d6)

>>4342650

Rolled 1, 6, 3, 5, 5, 4, 3 = 27 (7d6)

>>4342650

Rolled 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 4, 3 = 35 (7d6)

>>4342650

Go 30

>>4342660
should've gone all in. ah well

>>4342660
good shit

>>4342449
>I don't care if Lord Lydden gets his panties in
agreed.

>insult her father's principle bannermen at dinner
She wouldn't be. She would have an issue with us. Who at this junction arent bannermen to anyone but the crown. And even then, a special bannerman that he has to pay.

I just want to make sure we are sat where we should be. And not overreaching. For such a small issue, we can make sure we sit where we should be possibly a bit better with >>4342660
like, sit at the edge between low lords and high landed Knights kind of thing.

While yes we would be disrupting Cersei anyway. It's reasonable for us to be where we will be placed now. And Anyone who see's us there will say it's reasonable instead of being with lords and Bannerman who are well renowned. But who knows she's a crazy bitch anyhow. This might be enough to set her off, but I feel more comfortable with this.

>>4342660
Based

>>4342711
I also want to confirm even knowing that the queen could take this out on us. OOC we know shes a crazy bitch, that takes shit up the ass and retaliates. But IC Aurion doesn't know that, and him just learning that she screwed us he would want to give her the finger. But still, respect her husband enough to not upset things. Since we are after that trade deal. At least that's my take of Aurion.

>>4342711
I don't think your reasoning is wrong at all. I just think we're not doing enough in general. We take the safe options for just about everything including dealing with assassination plots and now it looks to me like we are about to coast through this wedding event on more safe votes rather than trying for some high risk high reward. The only exception I can think of is the Bar Emmon attack and that was more from a misunderstanding of the best of 3 crutching not applying to npcs. The MC is supposed to be a lowborn literal sellsword and he's being played more like a highborn westerosi knight. I don't get the point of voting for something exciting like that in character creation and then flipping the script in game. But I guess that's not a majority opinion because here we are. Maybe when Cerelle gets killed from all the inaction things will flip again. The closest we got to bold was fucking Cleo after she called us a pussy for being so meek in negotiating. Crossing my fingers for another moment like that.

>>4342872
I hear your point. We picked an interesting character.
>Goal: Family/Love
>Motivation: Fear (loneliness/failure)
And picking the safe option when we have essentially obtained our goals & motivation seem to be the best options. Especially if we want to see our kid grow up. But we have many loose ends to already get to, and plenty more we don't know about I am sure.
I would say >Vice: Reckless
works really well, cause we sometimes just give into our vice and go for the high risk high reward you've seen with some options. Just sometimes going full murderhobo is to edgy.

>>4342887
Skipping over that just being a carbon copy of malroy and reynold for drives, more meek voting, that's what I don't get. We are at a wedding right now trying to rub shoulders with our "betters" when our family is at risk and I have this sinking feeling we are about to push through it taking no risks and getting nowhere significant.

>family man sellsword (weird) your pregnant wife is in imminent danger!
>uh, okay. I'm uh... gonna need you to look into that and get back to me. Hey, do you think this doublet brings out my eyes? Oh, or maybe I should downplay them because the king might not be my best friend if he thinks I'm valyrian? Gee what a sticky decision!

>>4342872
But yeah, I do like the idea that we have such a unique character. But IC some of our >reckless vice is curved by our wife's
>"Fear: Loss of loved ones"
We know that much about her. She works hard and is an overachiever to overcome and solve problems so others(our self) don't have to risk it all.
I was more interested in a solve our problems slow and steady while taking mild risks, joining other lord's war's and going across the sea if need be. Gaining money the god old fashion way we know how.
>>4342911
I hear you.

>>4342911
I mean idk about others, but this is my first quest actually starting and sticking to from the get. So this is the only one I feel connected to so far. I can't speak for other quests. I jump around Reynold's so I vote here and there. When I read the previous 1-3 posts before the vote.

I want to see Aurion experience what having a family is like. We are risking/gambeling with our wife's life that we can protect her, from the best assassins in the world so we can make these connections. If that isn't a bold assertion idk what is. But as I have said majority rules. I like hearing other people's point of view and I change my vote sometimes if I see a good enough reason to change. If I feel it fits my view of Aurion. Even if I don't believe it's the best choice but, if i feel it's something he would have thought about.
I like to play the "character" when possible. even if it some times means picking the bad option.

>>4342911
Something to be said about being lowborn is understanding that feudalism is very much a thing. Aurion absolutely challenges the system, but I feel like hes also someone who knows you have to play by the rules sometimes in order to break them later. I agree that he's been played a bit safe but sellswords dont live long without at least a bit of caution. Him having the audacity to marry a wife so far out of his league is proof hes willing to be bold, but he also knows who he is and she may need reminding she married down considerably. That type of stuff matters in the type of world that Westeros is.

>>4343019
Agreed completely. But that was the first option which no one chose. We went with breaking the queen's little seating jab but in a meek way. So we get noticed for reaching and defiance without embracing it. It's like the "compromise" option always gets prioritized and that's not always a good call.

File: Aurion.jpg (149 KB, 550x721)

149 KB JPG

“I’ll defer to my lady wife’s good sense on these things. You know she was a queen’s handmaiden before we met? We’ll take a seat somewhere a bit above wherever it is we’re to sit,” you tell the steward.

He at least attempts to look dignified in his annoyance, busily consulting some list or another. “Ser Shryke I presume? I assure you, the approved and official plans are perfectly adequate for a man of your station if you will look here---”

“Yeah?” you clap him on the shoulder in a genial manner and lean in closer for a more personal conversation. “Fuck all that. Me? I’d sooner be out drinking and dicing with the more entertaining lads in the yard, but my lady wife likes this shit. These are her types, see? She grew up playing around the queen you keep using as a shield, who attended our wedding by the by, and I won’t have her embarrassed with a shit seat. Now unfuck this before I liven this dull Westerosi feast up a bit and drag over some highborn off the high dais who owes me a favor or three.”

You lean back and let him drink in your self-assured face while your companions look to you with an assortment of confusion and suspicion. There’s a reason men die for you and women swoon for you and it isn’t because you’re comely. No, maybe you were ten years and ten scars ago, but now you just look the part of a man that won’t bend or break against all Seven Hells. You’ve bent merchant princes over negotiating tables from the Sea of Myrth to the Jade Gates and you’ll be damned if some upjumped coat handler gets the better of you now.

He meets your eyes and breaks, beginning to flip through the parchments with desperate vigor. “Yes, well of course. House Shryke of the Narrow Sea, how could I have missed that? Yes. It does seem we have at least one cancellation amongst your esteemed neighbors of House Rambton who were to be seated with the Lords Sunglass, Rosby… Stokeworth, ah and my Lord of Massey of course.”

>Perfect.
>You’ve had about enough of them of late and don’t want spill any blood on these fresh rushes. Someone of their status from the Stormlands or Riverlands can swap with you for the local table while you deal with friendlier folk.

>>4343065
>>You’ve had about enough of them of late and don’t want spill any blood on these fresh rushes. Someone of their status from the Stormlands or Riverlands can swap with you for the local table while you deal with friendlier folk.

>>4343065
>>Perfect.
This will be great.
Even if we haven't taken up the sunglass offer. he should be somewhat friendly towards us.
Now the Massey thing will be entertaining. And letting our lady wife have that conversation will be fucking hilarious. While she outwits the poor fucker at every turn.

>>4343065
>Perfect

>>4343065
>You’ve had about enough of them of late and don’t want spill any blood on these fresh rushes. Someone of their status from the Stormlands or Riverlands can swap with you for the local table while you deal with friendlier folk.

>>4343065
>Perfect.
I mean what could be better. Showing up to a feast and sitting with a guy who tried to fuck us. And have his betrothed in tow. Splendid, indeed.

>>4343065
>>Perfect.

>>4343065
>>Perfect.
Don't the dothraki say that a wedding without a murder or three is considered a dull affair?

Writing!

“Perfect,” you grin at the steward. This time something of your look makes the man blanch and step back. “Did you hear that my ladies? We are going to dine with our great friends of Massey and Sunglass. I did always prefer the Dothraki take on these events. Well, what are you waiting on? Off we go.”

It hadn’t occurred to you until just now that you might get such an opportunity, but it does make a sort of sense. You only have so many neighbors that aren’t stubbornly holed up in the rocks around Dragonstone and even you can see it would be passing stupid to mix tables of houses of different regions given how recently the fighting ceased. The round table you’re led to is somewhat modestly placed as well, towards the middle of the hall rather than up close to the royals like Cerelle’s parents might be. It does make you wonder where they’d intended to place you. Probably near the back. Hoarse-voiced pages rattle off introductions as you approach.

You recognize Lord Guncer Sunglass immediately with his rich dress and calm bearing. He’s seated next to the Lord Gyles Rosby, an equally thin and well-dressed man who appears to be a few years older than your pseudo-rival and notably more pallid. They’re flanked on one side with Stokeworths, a sharp-nosed woman of about forty being the Lady Tanda Stokeworth with her daughters Falyse and Lollys. The former looks like a younger, skinnier version of her mother with plump lips that would’ve had you leering a year ago while the latter is a chubby moon-faced girl that looks truly confused as to where to place her hands about the table. Near opposite them are two of House Massey. A boy of perhaps eight or ten that can only be the son of Lord Dustin by appearance alone… you had heard he was a widower. His name is Lucas. Then there is the man himself, Lord Dustin Massey. He’s older than you by a few years, perhaps around thirty. It’s difficult to be sure with his fair features and shock of platinum hair. He’s probably won a maid or three’s affections in his years even if he’s right on the edge of losing that sort of look. His rosy cheeks only flush further as you’re introduced.

Septon Boremund, well aware of the conflict here, is quick to act by taking the seat next to Lucas Massey while you hold out chairs for Lady Cassandra Bar Emmon and Cerelle, leaving Lord Dustin stuck between his son and Lady Falyse and you stuck between ward and wife. So much for under the table knife fights. At least Cerelle can easily converse with Lord Guncer from her seat next to him. That should further reinforce the truth of your words.

How do you want to play this?
>Keep things courteous and civil as you’re expected to.
>Embrace your inner cheeky shit. You might be blocked from sparing with blades, but you’re just as deadly with some wordplay.
>Drop the act and the subtlety. This man is your enemy and you will make that clear.
>Something else/something to add?

>>4343204
>>Embrace your inner cheeky shit. You might be blocked from sparing with blades, but you’re just as deadly with some wordplay.

>>4343204
>>Embrace your inner cheeky shit. You might be blocked from sparing with blades, but you’re just as deadly with some wordplay.

>>4343204
>Embrace your inner cheeky shit. You might be blocked from sparing with blades, but you’re just as deadly with some wordplay.
The man who loses his temper first is the true loser

>>4343204
>>Embrace your inner cheeky shit. You might be blocked from sparing with blades, but you’re just as deadly with some wordplay.
Oh boy!

The battle begins. I'm going to need 3 rolls of 6d6 for Persuasion (Incite). His intrigue defense is 14 and his composure is 9. Your "damage" here is based off of Cunning, so you're going to want a 24 here to knock that down to zero in 1 go.

Rolled 6, 4, 1, 5, 3, 5 = 24 (6d6)

>>4343251

Rolled 2, 6, 4, 5, 3, 5 = 25 (6d6)

>>4343251

Rolled 5, 2, 3, 6, 6, 6 = 28 (6d6)

>>4343251
let's see what happens

>>4343254
>>4343256
>>4343261
Pfft. Of course. Writing. Honestly, this was closer than you might think. You have an intrigue defense of 11 and he rolled a 16 with 4 cunning, putting you at 1/9 composure. Had this round gone with less than 3 degrees, then the next might've ended with mutual fisticuffs.

If Lord Massey’s cheeks weren’t flushed at mere mention of your name, they certainly are when you turn to Lady Cassandra after helping Cerelle into her seat. Your hands brush her bared shoulders just so as you beckon her to sit and the girl likely couldn’t help the pleased smile that crosses her lips if she tried, which she didn’t.

“You are this Shryke I’ve heard such tale of? The sellsword captain?” Lady Falyse asks.

“Aye my lady, among other things. What tales have you heard? I wonder if they’re half as interesting as the ones I’ve heard of late,” you fix Lord Massey with a challenging look. “Ah, my lord you look flushed. Perhaps we can get a page to open another door for your health?”

“That won’t be necessary,” he grinds out while Lady Falyse speaks of a clearly embellished story of Sharp Point.

“Alas my lady, like any great tale that one has gained and lost bits in the retelling. I did walk in through the front door, but I had no part in sacking anything. Although there was indeed a sack. Some lowly filth made off with the castle’s coffers and many a maid’s virtue. I’m only responsible for Lady Bar Emmon’s… presence, as she might confirm” you smirk as your rival shifts uncomfortably at the possible implications while the two ladies converse more on the events.

“My lady, I had heard you were with child, but I must confess I believed your wedding to be a recent thing, was it not?” Lord Guncer asks your wife with a tone more of concern than reproach. Right, the stories he’s heard…

“It was, my lord. A pity you could not have attended. My child is blessed by the Mother and Maiden both. Ser Aurion and I grew quite close after he rescued me, enough so that even my lord father consented to our union. An unlikely match to be sure, but he could afford to let his daughter marry for love with his power so strengthened in his victories,” Cerelle tells him. Her dignified, eloquent approach lacks the vigor of your brand of persuasion, but it seems to satisfy the pious lord all the same.

“A touch improper, is it not? You speak of love but are bastards not born of such emotions?” Lord Massey presses, drawing small gasps from the Stokeworth ladies and causing you to clench your fist.

“No,” Septon Boremund cuts in.

“I beg your pardon? Who exactly are you to say?” Lord Massey asks, surprised by the bluntness.

“A Septon. You miss that part? There’s no sin as far as the Faith is concerned. They’re wed and the child is yet to be born. Have you not read the Seven-Pointed Star, lad?” your septon asks.

>>4343380
“Our revered septon’s words ring true,” Lord Guncer confirms. Lord Rosby clears his throat, not for the first time… then says nothing.

“I suppose… ah, I heard tale you were raised by a septon were you not?” Lord Massey rounds on you again and smiles. “He was killed while you were off sailing, wasn’t he? Where were you again? A pleasure house in Lys? Or was it while you danced about at Dragonstone?”

Your blade is sharp and fast. You could open his throat before he clears the table. But instead you nod. “He was a blacksmith in truth, though he did die defending a sept. He was like a father to me, better than I deserved. He died well, fighting for what he believed in… I do wish I could say the same of your brother.”

“You---” he starts to lean, or perhaps lunge, forward. His wine glass tips over, red blotches staining his cloth-of-silver doublet. Would that it were blood. One day soon. He straightens himself, trying to salvage what’s left of his dignity in front of the shocked table, and turns to Lady Cassandra. “I find myself rather bored of this, would my lady like to accompany on a walk in the gardens?”

“No, I believe I am quite comfortable here, my lord. Please do enjoy yourself without me,” Lady Cassandra replies, earning a glare in return.

“Lucas. Come,” he beckons his confused son to stand and then promptly storms from the hall, setting those who noticed the outburst to their buzzing gossips. A hapless page cleans up the mess while Lady Tanda prompts Lord Gyles to speak of farming yields in a clumsy attempt of steering the conversation back into more civil territory.

>Can I get 3 rolls of 4d6 for Awareness (Empathy)?

Rolled 6, 3, 4, 2 = 15 (4d6)

>>4343383

Rolled 2, 3, 1, 3 = 9 (4d6)

>>4343383

Eloquent Social
You have an uncanny knack for wordplay and diplomacy.
Requires Language 4, Persuasion 4

When engaged in an intrigue using a Language in which you have rank
4 or greater, you automatically go first in the round.

I really want eloquent. Just seems like this shit sucks. If we picked it up, would you give us anything extra Boggs? Seems like something Aurion would pick during peace times chatting it up with nobles.

Rolled 1, 6, 6, 6 = 19 (4d6)

>>4343383

>>4343394
wew

>>4343394
>Bottom
>>4343394
I really should stop rolling, this is getting ridiculous

>>4343389
>>4343390
>>4343394
Well that 19 will cover it.

>>4343390
I might, I'd have to think about it. I do like to do what I can to incentivize benefits that don't get much love due to mechanics. Initiative can be really strong if we find ourselves getting into more complex intrigues. You get the word in first against someone formidable in playing the game and knock down their composure before their "turn" and that's that. That's how combat should work as well, but initiative is usually overlooked in these quests with simultaneous strikes the norm. I'd personally like to get away from that. Anyway, writing!

This has been entertaining, well worth the choice. I am interested in who our table companions would have been if we had accepted our given seats in the back.

You glance around while they drone on about counting coppers, more interested in the reactions to that little scene you managed to goad Lord Massey into causing. Cerelle does join in the copper talk with her knowledge of your own yields and a resolved look after that display. Truth be told, you haven’t the slightest clue as to the details of that mess, knowing only that your fields produce somewhere between a lot and more than needed. As for the others, Lady Lollys looks confused, maybe even a little frightened, but you’re beginning to suspect that’s her usual look. Lady Falyse only looks excited by it all, no more than a juicy little morsel of gossip as far as she’s concerned. Lord Guncer and Septon Boremund both look pensive, perhaps that’s to be expected of their sort… though you’d image at least the former has much to think on now that your earlier words have only been reinforced by his own observations.

Then there’s Lady Cassandra. She looks shaken. As in, she’s shaking ever so slightly. You’re not sure if she’s ever actually rejected a man of Lord Massey’s stature before. She was kept around by her fratricidal cunt of a brother to play the harp at his leisure until her body could be used to seal a pact with a widower with little use for more heirs. Perhaps she didn’t quite see it that way at first, but the evidence has been gradually mounting in front of her eyes until it culminated in her supposed betrothed quickly reduced to heavy-handedness in speech and mannerisms by a lowborn sellsword. She must feel… lost, like she has no true ally in all of this after the side she backed out of complacency has turned out to be a dead weight even by her naïve reckoning.

Not to mention… by the Seven, is that a genuine dwarf? And they dressed it up in little Lannister colors! Here you were sure Westerosi had no sense of humor, yet here it is waddling by towards the higher seats. Higher. Hah. You haven’t encountered one since taking on provisions in Volantis. Fine timing really, you’ve felt your luck waning on an occasion or two of late and yet here’s a fresh supply nearly in arms’ reach.

>Rub the dwarf’s head. Everyone knows that’s good luck.
>Don’t. There might be more to this little stunt than you know.

>>4343459
>>Rub the dwarf’s head. Everyone knows that’s good luck.
Bullying Tyrion (if that is him) will never be not fun

>>4343459
>Rub the dwarf’s head. Everyone knows that’s good luck.
What luck!

>>4343459
>Rub the dwarf’s head. Everyone knows that’s good luck.

>>4343459
>>Rub the dwarf’s head. Everyone knows that’s good luck.
We drink with Tyrion till he lets us rub him off

>>4343459
>Rub the dwarf’s head. Everyone knows that’s good luck.

>>4343459
>Rub the dwarf’s head. Everyone knows that’s good luck.

>>4343459
>Rub the dwarf’s head. Everyone knows that’s good luck.

Oh we're actually going to do this?

>>4343533
Yes, our wife's family liege's son, is gona be good boy'd.
And we won't even know what we did wrong. This is gona be epic. Good or bad we don't know yet.

How old is he at this point?

>>4343459
>>Rub the dwarf’s head. Everyone knows that’s good luck.

>>4343543
oh shit, this may not be as funny anymore. I am starting to regret my decision.
Cersei is 7 years older than Tyrion. Meaning if she is 18, the boy is 11...This is fucked up. :/
No regerts

Wiki says he was born in 273 so he'll be like 11, and already rejected by lords for their daughters

>>4343552
nah man, this is the best opportunity that Boggs could've given us. It's in character, hilarious, and we'll win points with the queen if she notices (not that Aurion would know that). It might come back to bight us in the ass later (Tyrion isn't the type to forget), but fuck it, we don't know the difference. If confronted later we might even be able to talk our way out of it (foreign customs/i'm not from around here). Tyrions pretty reasonable, all things considered.

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>mfw aurion gets on tywin's bad side so such a degree that we get our own faceless man to match our wife's

>>4343565
>Tyrion isn't the type to forget)
In my mind I just didn't think it through. It would have been much more hilarious if it was an adult. And lets be honest, if it was an 18 year old Tyrion. We could charm and drink with him. 11 year old Tyrion is just a cute little boy. Who's dad hates him..
Still we committed to this.

Tyrion is still a virgin who hasn't met Tysha yet, not the drunk jaded one we all know lol.

Well we voted only to pay his head for luck. For follow up we can treat him like an adult and not mock him further, maybe even tell him an adventure or two we had.

Once we find out who he is, maybe we can roll some charm (convince) to convince him we were genuine.

>>4343571
He's got much worse trauma to come. He wont be forced to lose his virginity for a few years now.

“Little friend! Little friend, over here,” you call out to the amusing little creature. It’s hurried waddling slows to a halt and it looks to you with curious, mismatched eyes. You beckon it, him, closer and he cautiously obliges. What a truly unfortunate face. It looks squished in with how his overlarge forehead juts, a feature only exaggerated with his tiny body and stubby limbs. You’re not well-versed in dwarf lore, but you’d reckon this one is only on the cusp of the earlier stages of manhood.

Cerelle takes notice. “Aurion, what---”

You reach out and give his head a good hearty rub, tousling his strange-colored hair a touch as he lets out an outraged little cry. And you nearly cry out as well as your wife pinches your side and twists in an unprecedented display of physical prowess on her part, glaring daggers at you when you give her a hurt look. “What did I---”

“That is Tyrion Lannister, Lord Tywin’s youngest son, and you will apologize to him. This. Instant.” she tells you in a furious half-whisper.

You turn to the young dwarf. “Well I’m sorry, I suppose. Didn’t mean anything by it. Everyone knows it’s good luck to rub a dwarf’s head. Hells, you should use that line in a couple years in a tavern or three. Might be a wench won’t know which head to rub and decides to be thorough,” you grin.

He smooths out his hair, looking to you with mistrust with black and green eye both before reaching some sort of judgement of you. “You are not from here. Your accent is strange,” he states. You nod. “Then I suppose I must accept your apology, ser…?”

“Aurion. Aurion Shryke. There’re some other titles mixed in there somewhere, might be someone has a list. A pleasure, my young friend, truly. I haven’t come across a dwarf since Volantis and my lady wife will tell you I rely overmuch on my luck,” you tell him.

“Volantis? You’ve sailed that far?” he asks, eyes alight with curiosity.

“Further still,” you say, though you swear you hear Cerelle whisper a similar sounding word under her breath.

“Will you tell me of it?” he asks, beckoning for another chair to be brought forward.

>More tomorrow. Yeah, he’s still 11. Less in a whoring phase and more in an increasingly dejected yet extremely curious phase. I don’t really have a vote here, but if there’s anything you’d like talk with him about, then feel free to suggest things. Otherwise, you’re probably going to be presenting your “gift” to the king tomorrow night, so if there’s anything in particular you’re looking to do there, then drop it in below. Thanks for playing!

>>4343580
Corrupt the dwarf.

>>4343580
thanks for your time. Seemed pretty innocent enough, we will charm the boy. And keep him company and entertained while we chat with the house around us.

>>4343580
Pluck a jewel off of our belt and give it to him.
"You see this? This is from Qarth, have you ever heard of it? Run along Tyrion, come see me tomorrow and i'll tell you all about the world"
If Cerelle gets pissed just say we're running damage control. If nothing adverse happens act smug and say "see...rubbing a dwarfs head is good luck. We're in with the royal family on both sides now"

>>4343580
Thanks for running man, this was very entertaining.

As for suggestions, if we can get an in-character read on him (maybe an awareness check) perhaps we can suggest to him that he should get out of his father's boot and explore the world, maybe we'll take him ourselves as an escort on a contract (we were wondering about Essos adventures after this). If we can pick up on his reading habit, mention that we have just learned reading and he can suggest some books to us.

As for Robert we want to continue to serve him directly, not under some other lord, we have experience as a sellsword and would like to keep our title and our job, acting as the king's own force if needed (suggest that the King does not have a standing army like Tywin has his Red Cloaks, so we can be Robert's hammer of justice. Maybe he dislikes Tywin already so he'll like that comparison).

I'm forgetting if the trial is still happening or not, but we need some avenue to push for some concrete terms and compensation I suppose?

>>4343608
Well Kings Landing has the goldcloaks. Sure they might not be as well trained, or as we know from the books particularily loyal, but it's still a standing force of men.

I think Robert is an easy mark for someone like Aurion. We just need to talk shop about adventures in Essos, fucking women from all over the world and what not. Use the smallest timeframe we get to charm him, similar to Jalabar Xho

>>4343650
Yeah but the Gold cloaks generally don't venture beyond King's Landing, unlike the Red Cloaks. We're advertising as a personal enforcement squad throughout the King's domains and beyond.

Also brag about the Valyrian sword we acquired, because A)why the fuck not and B) It's a freaking huge achievement for someone as "low" as us. Maybe play up the Tywin angle again, like this guy has spent his life trying to get his hands on a Valyrian steel weapon, meanwhile we got it for a bargain, didn't even have to do anything! (What happened to that, btw? We never pursued the pirate angle again and Cleo just settled down in KL)

Oddly ASOIAF quests rarely play courtly scenes and this one has been immensely entertaining. Thanks for running, Boggs!

>>4343580
Oh no no no
I love how people voted for this

>>4343580
Holy shit this entire scene is gold.

Aurion is going to end up with a dwarf child

Remind me boys, do we KNOW that there's a faceless man stalking our wife or was that just us taking the fact we have an assassin from Braavos hot on us to mean the worst possible thing?

>>4344168
I think it's an assumption? I dived the last thread in the archives yeaterday and remember Cleo seemed to think it could be any number of things.

>>4344190
Oh, thank god. I don't think that the powers working against us could afford to call out a FM on a lady of one of the old noble houses of Westeros.

>>4343599
Casually plucking off a gem with our dinner knife and give the boy as a gesture of good will I can get behind, not the rest though.

>>4343580
Tell him the story of how Aurion and Vaeron broke into a lord's menagerie in Volantis to steal a tiger to impress Janessa before they married- you still don't know which of the two bit harder.

>>4344216
Idk what they're supposed to cost other than being very expensive. A fat dowry plus whatever Massey already had on hand might cover it? The bigger thing was the part where they're all muh code about killing so they won't gank a pregnant woman because that's 2 lives and they were paid for one. Assuming it's them. If it's not them then it's almost worse because she could get killed any day now or maybe lose the child in a botched attempt.

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“So, we get the beast outside the drunken sot’s walls and into the city proper. Now that was the tricky part what with it being daylight still. Not sure it could’ve worked in most places, but every year is election year in Volantis and one of the two factions has a tiger as their sigil, so we improvised. A few sweet words and the women let down their dress straps and bared their breasts,” there’s a few shocked gasps from the highborn wo at this part so you add, “which was only proper, mind, who would take fully clothed campaigners seriously? That’d just show a lack of conviction, terrible disguising really. Any road, they get to strutting around us while Vaeron holds the leash and I keep shouting ‘Vote Malaquo’ to the heavens in my very best Valyrian. I wager I got the man himself a few votes that day, and not one word of thanks for it. We carried on like that right up the ramp and onto the galley. Malaq had some choice words over quartering the tiger. My fleetmaster, not the triarch. Incidentally, I think he was that triarch’s property at one point. See he didn’t know what we were on about because he was stuck on the ship while we took on provisions. He was wanted in Volantis over some entirely unreasonable smuggling charges. All in all, I’d call it a fine outing.”

“And what precisely became of this unfortunate creature?” Cerelle asks. The story was more for the young Tyrion’s sake and you’d say he’s been quite entertained so far, but naturally the rest of the table started listening in. If nothing else, your tales are a far cry from crop yields and copper clipping methods.

“Hmm. Dunno. As odd as it sounds, I don’t think Janesa thought we’d go through with it. I’d seen it around her family’s palace a time or two, so it might still be there if it lives. It’d be just like her to stick her mother with it. Course, we didn’t bring it with us back to Westeros. The galleys we were able to wrangle for the journey were packed enough without a man-eating beast tossed in the holds,” you say.

“So, you took the tiger back to Qarth. Could you tell me more of it? I have heard it is the world’s oldest city,” Tyrion says. Alas, dwarf or no, his status as a Lannister has a relieved courtier rushing over to him before you can continue. With the feast already begun and moving to its second course, you get the feeling you’ve only had this long with him because of how crowded the Great Hall has become. There must be a thousand highborn mingling about, jostling for favor or spinning their plots… or just getting right and proper drunk in many cases.

>>4344924
“It seems I’ve been summoned,” Tyrion says, eyes downcast. He’s glanced towards the dais in trepidation a few times since sitting down. There’s little you can do to save him from his fate, but you can do the next best thing. You retrieve a small dirk from your boot and use it to pry a topaz from your belt while the wary young dwarf looks on.

“Here,” you place it in his little hand while the courtier waits. “It seems the stone’s come loose from my belt. If you had any notion of what I plan to be drinking tonight, you’d rightly assume I’d lose a loose gem like that gambling by night’s end, so I’m trusting it to you for safe keeping. I’ll trade you a story for it when next we cross paths. Sooner’s better as I’ll look right foolish walking about with a gem missing for too long.”

The dwarf gives you a surprisingly warm grin and nods to your offer. You notice Cerelle giving you what you know to be her bedroom eyes. She leans in and whispers, “you will make a great father.” You smile back, and begin forming a plan to get her off to one of the quieter gardens or perhaps an unoccupied bed chamber, but the moment is ruined when Tyrion trips on the rushes in his haste to match the courtier’s hurried pace. Highborn from some of the surrounding tables take notice and laugh at the dwarf’s latest misfortune, putting a frosty look back on your wife’s face.

She stands and strides over to the red-faced young Lannister as he tries to salvage what little dignity is left to him. “My lord Tyrion, it would seem we are due to present a gift to His Grace. If you would be so kind as to escort me to the dais? I would rather not do so alone being so heavy with child,” she says to him while offering her hand. He looks up to her with brief uncertainty and you note his mismatched eyes do rest on her ample cleavage for a moment before he takes her hand and begins walking with her to the dais. You don’t think he could refuse even if he wanted to. Even a stunted lad like him would’ve been taught all the lessons of courtesy and chivalry that other highborn are forced to learn.

You motion for Lady Cassandra Bar Emmon to come along with you as she’s the “gift.” Your bottle of rum was already collected along with the thousand other gifts for the new royal couple, but you could hardly place a lady amidst the mountain of trinkets… at least not on this side of the Narrow Sea.

>Can I get 3 rolls of 4d6 for Awareness (Empathy)?

Rolled 6, 4, 1, 3 = 14 (4d6)

>>4344925

Rolled 3, 3, 3, 4 = 13 (4d6)

>>4344925
Last time I rolled 4d6, I got quad 1s, so I literally cannot do worse.
Also, hell yeah for endearing Tyrion to us. I'm sure we can use it to our advantage, though I'd like for us to ally ourselves with people other than Westermen. I'm a northtard, myself.

Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>4344934
Can I reroll that 1 for 'Attractive'?

>>4344944
nevermind. I realized this is self check not a convince check. sorry.

>>4344944
Aurion doesn't have that benefit and it doesn't apply to Awareness. Maybe for your heir. Gods that would be broken. Aurion's charm with some of Cerelle's better features?

Rolled 6, 3, 3, 6 = 18 (4d6)

>>4344925

>>4344963
Damn, I was re-reading House Reynold's quest yesterday and somehow it didn't register that Aurion had a different character sheet. Hell I was about to tell you to roll that extra Lucky roll in the conversation with the king.

>>4344963
They’d be king within two years

>>4344977
You will need to rub a few more dwarf heads for that one.

Writing with the 18!

You’d say your wife lends a fair bit of dignity to the young dwarf’s trek to his place at one of the tables at the foot of the high dais where several other Lannisters are gathered. His waddle even looks less pronounced as Cerelle’s state of dress and pregnancy cause her to tread carefully. You hang back a moment as they stop in front of the Lannister table and exchange a few words with those gathered. A few shoot curious looks your way at a word from your wife, so you shoot them a grin back. Aside from Ser Kevan you don’t think most of them were around for your wedding, especially not the extremely buxom one next to a reedy balding man at her side. You know you’d remember her.

You take Cerelle’s offered arm and continue the last few steps to the high dais just beneath the looming Iron Throne. Your eye feels drawn to the throne, remaining fixed upon it until a slight hesitation in Cerelle’s step draws you back down to the present. You follow her gaze to her parents at a nearby table… then she pointedly looks away. Her mother has a pained look on her face while her father only scowls and reaches for his cup. They’ve a little one with them, a boy of four or five with messy golden hair that can only be her brother Jason. That puts a brief frown on your face. Has Cerelle even met the lad? If so, it would’ve been when he was still swaddled. You’re not sure you give a fig about her lordly father at this point, but siblings should at least know each other.

Then you’re on past a motley band of what can only be advisors and in front of the dais. You recognize the new queen rightly enough, Lady Cersei of House Lannister. And as beautiful as ever. Well, she would be if she wasn’t so clearly displeased with your wife. Odd, that. It’s not as if your seating would’ve been noticed from here. You kneel before her and a giant of a man with a mane of black hair and bright blue eyes. This is the first you’ve laid eyes on him, but there’s no introduction needed to pick him out as the King Robert Baratheon, even in his obvious boredom. The same can’t quite be said of you. Yet.

>>4345084
“Ser Aurion Shryke of Stormgrave, Captain of the Stormbringers Free Company and Proctor of the Faith. His lady wife, Lady Cerelle of House Lydden. And… Lady Cassandra Bar Emmon of… Sharp Point,” the herald announces, ending with far less certainty than he began.

“House Bar Emmon is in open rebellion against the Crown,” you hear the Hand, Lord Jon Arryn levelly state from the king’s side even as King Robert beckons you stand. You met the frowning, aging Valeman once before in what felt like a lifetime ago. Now he has a pretty auburn-haired lass at his side. His daughter, perhaps?

“Aye, my Lord Hand. My latest batch of rum might get lost amongst the other gifts, so I thought, ‘why not bring another house back into the King’s Peace for good measure?’ My ward, Lady Cassandra, is the Lady of Sharp Point now and has come to swear fealty,” you announce. She takes her cue and kneels once more.

>Can I get 3 rolls of 8d6 for Charm?

Rolled 3, 6, 3, 1, 1, 5, 5, 6 = 30 (8d6)

>>4345087

Rolled 5, 4, 6, 5, 3, 4, 4, 4 = 35 (8d6)

>>4345087

Rolled 6, 2, 3, 5, 1, 4, 2, 4 = 27 (8d6)

>>4345087
please please please something good. This is the one we need

>>4345088
>>4345093
>>4345096
A 32 vs an Intrigue Defense of 16 will net you a solid 4 degrees. Safe to say he's a fan, but you haven't truly asked anything of him yet.

>>4345106
If you think he likes us now, just wait until Aurion invents the breastplate stretcher.

>>4345106
I was reading the character sheet, btw and saw this -
>Magnetic: Increase target's disposition from successful Charm test by 1 extra step
How does this work exactly?

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>>4345112
Now that's getting your money's worth out of your armorsmith.

>>4345121
Disposition is how much people like you and also functions as an intrigue test modifier. Here's the chart. I tend to keep a good amount of the specific numbers for everything behind the scenes so that you all don't have to wade through the same amount of rules bloat that I do, but I do factor these into DCs. Hitting the highest and lowest tiers on the chart is a little different in that the highest is basically your closest loved ones and the lowest is sworn nemesis-tier.

>>4345136
>>4345121
...which doesn't answer your question. Basically, a successful charm test would normally bump the disposition up by 1 step (such as Indifferent to Amiable), but Magnetic lets you take it up 2 steps as long as you beat the DC by at least 5 (such as Indifferent to Friendly).

>>4345149
Seems a little broken but if we get another bonus die in charming wouldn't it be a 3 step jump?
Where are we at now?

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You see some recognition on the king’s face. “Shryke? The one with the rum and the Free Company. I remember that much. And you would be my queen’s friend from the west?” he asks of Cerelle, continuing before she can respond. “A fine gift, wouldn’t you say, Jon? Not enough of my bannermen’ve been bringing these damned dragons to heel. Too busy sitting on their thumbs instead of fighting,” he shoots an annoyed look to a gaunt, brooding man a few chairs down and then looks down at your kneeling ward. Her eyes are fixed on the floor.

“You’ve no brothers or husband, girl?” King Robert asks of Lady Bar Emmon.

“My brothers were killed in the fighting, Your Grace. The last fell when Ser Aurion took the castle. I-I am unwed,” she timidly answers.

“Well you’ll do, then. Up you go. I’ve heard that bleeding oath too many times of late and I won’t sit through it now. Jon will sort it out on the morrow,” he waves her to her feet. She graciously bows and then steps back until she’s a few paces behind you.

“So, how’s the fighting out there? I’d finish this war up myself, but my advisors insist my bannermen prove themselves,” King Robert asks you.

“It’s a worse war than some and a better one than others I’ve fought, Your Grace. We’ve bled through the bulk of my regulars between storming castles and boarding actions. Costly victories, but I like the results. Any road, my elite Stormbringers are still itching to crack Dragonstone,” you report with confidence.

“And crack it you shall, Ser Shryke, that I swear. Just ‘Ser’ is it? I heard that right? Can’t say I’ve met your lord father,” the king asks.

“Aye, Your Grace. Can’t say I’ve met him either. I’m the first of my house, though I’ve been working on expanding,” you grin.

“Hah! I can see that well enough,” he nods to Cerelle. “Stormgrave. I’ve passed it a time or two. That’s off Massey’s Hook. That might just make you the only Narrow Sea House not itching to spear me,” he laughs, then looks pensive. You’re not sure what he’s thinking, but this might be your chance to speak to more. Should you ask him for something? Should you name the plotters around you like the supposedly loyal Massey? Or is it best to hold your tongue and count your blessings that this new king seems to like you well enough so far?

Will you:
>Ask him for something (what).
>See if he comes up with something on his own.
And:
>Bring up your suspicions of House Massey.
>Keep quiet for now, you don’t have evidence.

I'm going to stop here because this is a pretty big deal. Continuing tomorrow!

>>4345183
Nah. I don't want to break the game. I'm keeping it at 1 extra step. You just went from Indifferent to Friendly. Granted, that can decay over time or through your actions, but you're in about as good a place as you could be at present.

>>4345205
I'm getting a feeling that he's thinking about making us the Lord of the area, or at the very least expand our lands. Not too certain though. Suggest something anons, I'm coming up empty here.

At the very least, build on his comment about the only one supporting him in our area, with a statement that
>'And I've had to pay a price for that your grace. I've been targeted by assassins and lost the sister of our 2nd in command and close friend and attacks on our pregnant wife'

Also about continuing our relationship and what I said here >>4343716 about being his own hammer of justice

Then see if he comes up with something, and if not then suggest whatever anons ask for

>>4345205
>>Ask him for something (what).
Oh, the possibilities. I kinda want to save any potential goodwill until after the battle of Dragonstone, just in case we stop a certain ship from leaving the isle during a certain stormy night. Perhaps we just ask him for something he'd like us to do? I like the idea of ingratiating ourself to him like how >>4343716
proposed, minus the boasting. Maybe get the King's blessing to stamp out rebels in the Narrow Sea? We could ask for a bigger reward if we accomplish a task he sets.

In any case,
>>Keep quiet for now, you don’t have evidence.

>>4345205
>See if he comes up with something on his own.
>Keep quiet for now, you don’t have evidence.

Ok. I've been ranting about being bold and all that and I'm still not down to drop bombs on Bobby B's wedding feast with no evidence. I don't want to go asking for shit either because I feel like
>>4345230
is right in the lordship part. It makes sense to do that. I just don't want to look weak by acting like we're being shoahed too hard or ask for it and get called presumptuous by someone else before Bobby's gears finish turning.

Tl;dr: sit back and hope for lordship. That's what's best for the house and family.

Hmmm not really sure what to ask other than reaffirm our claims to the land and perhaps even allowing us to expand further maybe nearby islands or land, maybe territory within the crownlands for a distillery or a manse in king's landing

>>4345232
Agree on that. Also forgot to say
>Keep quiet for now, you don't have evidence

As far as I remember we were going to Braavos after this wedding business is done and before the Dragonstone expedition

We could make quite the penny if we have a place producing and exporting on the main lands or house to stay if we have business in KL or more land

>>4345205
>See if he comes up with something on his own.

>Bring up your suspicions of House Massey.

Tell him we are in the same boat. All of these houses aligned against us and were never truly loyal to the (new)crown. While we were protecting them from pirates they tried multiple assassinations.
Hint that we have no Lord in the area worth swearing fealty to

Is there a diplomatic way to 'bank' our goodwill for now and ask for a bigger favor after Dragonstone? Presumably we'll solve the assassin mystery by then too and add that to our pile of things we have done for the crown.

I'd say let him finish his thought with just a reminder to keep us in his mind and enjoy our rum for now. It's Robert for Christ's sake, he may have some crazy idea that benefits us immensely that his council will try desperately to make him drop it later!

>>4345250
>Hint that we have no Lord in the area worth swearing fealty to
Yeah this too. Support

>>4345205
>Keep quiet for now, you don’t have evidence

>>4345205
>>Ask him for something (what).
We should ask for soldiers to stamp out more rebels, if we can prove ourselves than maybe we can role that up into uniting with a real force to take Dragonstone. If he asks what makes us so confident about taking Dragonstone we can be honest about delivering his enemies there before we were bannermen for him, we got a good look at the place.
>Keep quiet for now, you don’t have evidence.
But we should hint at something that should be discussed more privately, ("away from prying ears") he might not get it but Jon or Cersei probably will, that would be two enemies, plus selling him good booze.
If anyone objects just lean on the fact that we have never done this court thing before, too busy sailing the narrow sea and fighting battles, winning riches and glory and suchwhat, to be bothered with courtly affairs, but "well now i'm a knight, i should probably act, and do knightly things, would you not agree...my King"

>>4345205
>See if he comes up with something on his own.

>Keep quiet for now, you don’t have evidence.

>Hint that we have no Lord in the area worth swearing fealty to

>>4345205
>>See if he comes up with something on his own
Let him feel its his choice. See whats on the table, after we hit dragon stone we can come back for round 2, if we take good prisoners or do really well.

>Keep quiet for now, you don’t have evidence

>>4345205
>See if he comes up with something on his own.
>Keep quiet for now, you don’t have evidence.

Speaking of new lords. What's the over under on Redward being around here. Or a Reynold. Kinda surprised we haven't seen any

I'm seeing
>See if he comes up with something on his own.
>Keep quiet for now, you don’t have evidence.

with a solid majority. I'll add in the bannerman hint as well. This should be fun.

>>4345909
Well, he would be a lord now and I'd think he'd still be in favor... but he's not my character, so I really can't say for sure. I've kind of danced around mentioning the Reynolds because I don't know where they'll end up with the plots at play in that quest. Their lands should be just about butting up against Lydden lands if they're not outright connected, so I'm itching to at least drop a mention when the right opportunity presents itself. I'm interested to see how they get along with the Lyddens. At least from this quest's canon, you might've seen Banefort and Lydden both weren't big Reyne fans to say the least, but who knows how that's evolved? In any case, I'll defer to Joe's take on it all since its his quest's house.

>>4346156
I've always had the Lyddens as being the Reynold's neightbour to the west. I hadn't fluffed them out much aside form a potential marriage candidate for Tygon earlier on but then he married Andrea and we focused on the Brax's to the north instead. So for Lydden being strong Lannister men works for me.

I think Tygon and Andrea would be in the city regardless of the outcomes of Duty and Spite, similar to what happened with Cormaic. If you want, message me on twitter. I personally love doing the crossovers and tying the quests of /qst/ and /tg/ together.

>>4345290
Agreed with this dude

File: Cersei.jpg (40 KB, 400x300)

40 KB JPG

“I’d say Your Grace has the right of it. If it’s any consolation, my rebel neighbors might want to spear me more, but at least the Seven saw fit to make them poor fighters. They’ll have to content themselves with sending me angry letters demanding I bend the knee,” you say with an easy smile, watching him closely as he nods along.

You’re sorely tempted to ask him for some compensation, but you’ve been in this boat a time or two before in negotiating with the wealthier magisters and this is much the same only writ larger. Some men just don’t think on the same scale as the rest of the world, and how could they with their eyes set on so much? The concept of their subjects living and toiling without ever venturing past the next copse of wood must be utterly alien to them. Why think of coppers when all you see is gold? Why should you suggest rewards of silver when he can’t think lower than gold?

“Hm. My lords of the Narrow Sea think they’re better than my loyal men, eh? Can’t be helped then, you’ll be Lord Shryke now. That’ll boil them seeing you raised higher. Let’s see if they come begging my Peace when they catch word of it,” King Robert decides.

“Robert---” Lord Arryn begins.

“I know what you’re going to say. Same as that lot over there,” he waves dismissively at the table of councilors. “I won’t have it. I’ve sealed a good many parchments dolling out pardons and high rewards to those I’d sooner see dangling from a noose. ‘It’s for the King’s Peace. It’s for the King’s Peace.’ I damned well hear the words in my bloody sleep. Well it’s my Peace. Lord Shryke is a good man and true who’s beating lords in the field. He’s earned it as much as I’ve earned this bloody crown. Besides it will boil those dragons and picturing their shitting faces upon word pleases your king greatly.”

Whatever argument that might’ve been given for or against the impromptu proclamation dies then and there. The older hand looks mildly put off, opting to turn to a nearby Kingsguard rather than argue further. For her part, the new Queen Cersei just buries herself behind a goblet while the royal advisors offer cordial congratulations like trained parrots. Sensing your audience is at an end, you thank the king heartily and take Cerelle’s cue to sketch a bow in departing. As he waves you off, you hear him call for the rum to be fished out of the gifts.

>>4346865
“My lord and ladies. A moment,” the same Kingsguard approaches after you step away from the dais with Cerelle in arm and Lady Cassandra trailing. A veteran if you’ve ever seen one with his blonde hair beginning to fade to silver. “There is no cause for concern, but you should be aware Lady Bar Emmon will be expected to remain within the Keep for the night. My lady, you will be afforded all comforts as befits your station. As you’ve heard, the Lord Hand will render full judgement on the morrow in the presence of the Small Council. If you will?” he lends his arm to her with courtesy, looking a little apologetic if anything. She shoots you a fearful look, but you’re not sure how much comfort to offer her given recent events.

“Will you be there tomorrow?” she asks you. You turn to Cerelle who only offers your ward a chilly look. Your wife plainly doesn’t care for the notion and you could think of a number of other engaging activities you’d like to be up to tomorrow. A few don’t even involve a bed. Namely, putting this trial nonsense to rest, getting a better measure of this war planning, reconciling your wife with her family, or even just getting on a ship and sailing to Braavos with no further delays… but there might be opportunity in Lady Cassandra’s suggestion as well. Massey comes to mind. He might’ve stormed off to go cry into his soiled doublet, but he could regain some leverage if he catches wind of his presumedly still-betrothed’s predicament. Last you checked, he’s still favored by the crown.

>You’ll be there.
>You have other engagements.

>>4346875
>You’ll be there
Can't risk Massey undermining us after we just gained that lordship.

Cerelle should be humping Aurion's brains out tonight

>>4346875
>>You’ll be there.
We don't have to spend the whole day in the keep, I'd hope. And this shit with the narrow sea houses has gone on for long enough.

>>4346875
>You'll be there
All those other plans can wait a single day

Called it on Robert making us a lord! What does it mean though, exactly? Is it just a change in title or does this mean that we have been granted some vassals now (or in the future)?

Plus they will probably be looking for a suitable betrothal for her. It's best to be a part of that conversation

>>4346925
Lord's can pass judgement in their lands. Landed knights technically would need to take some judgements to their perspective lord.

Other than that it's a prestige thing.

>>4346925
A number of things. To start with, it's a hereditary title rather than hereditary land, so your children and their children can inherit regardless of whether or not they're knights. Daughters too. You also have the right to Pit and Gallows now (even if you've already abused that a little) and can "land" other knights. Past that, lords are at least in theory equals. In practice, not so much, but you don't have to contend with the "just a knight" label or nearly as much pressure to be a vassal of a vassal.

Oh, and it's a Historical Event for your house, so we'll have to do some rolling for that. Specifically, Ascent. There are a couple of other similar ones like Favor and Glory, but this one makes the most sense to me since your marriage did have an impact on the decision. Actually, let's get that out of the way, shall we?

>Can I get 4 rolls of 1d6? Influence, Lands, Power, Wealth in that order.

Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>4346960

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>4346960

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>4346960

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>4346960

>>4346960
Thanks for clarifying!

Not bad. House Resources are updated in the drive.
>>4346974
I bumped this to 2 for the sake of Cerelle's Head for Numbers.

>>4346988
Bless you, Boggs

“Wouldn’t miss it,” you assure her. She looks relieved, but Cerelle tugs on your arm to get you moving before she can say more. Whatever displeasure your wife feels over it is overshadowed by her obvious joy at your sudden ascent to lordship. She’s not one to display too much emotion, typically just adopting a sort of cold and dignified air, but she has a smile fixed to her face and looks her age for a change. It’s infectious.

Even with the unexpected nature of the whole affair, word travels nearly at the speed of your walk in this heart of courtly gossip. You see it reach Cerelle’s parents. They look befuddled, disbelieving even, and look to their daughter for confirmation. Her smile falters somewhat at their attention before returning again. She makes no move to detour for their sake and continues looking straight ahead until you reach your seats.

“Something happen up there?” Septon Boremund asks.

“Aye, seems I’m a lord now,” you tell him and the rest of the table.

“Bugger that lad, you were gone for but one course. What happened?” the septon asks Cerelle instead, but he sees the truth on her face readily enough and falls into a deep laughing fit.

“It seems congratulations are in order,” Lady Tanda Stokeworth offers. Her daughters and Lord Rosby follow suit. As does Lord Sunglass, albeit hesitantly. You’re no barrister, but you’d happily argue he has fuck all for a case with this development. That Rambton boy might still trouble you yet, but his family hasn’t a leg to stand on at present… and if they do, then you’ll be glad to kick it out from under them.

>Discuss things with Lord Sunglass now.
>Nah. You’d rather steal away and “celebrate”
>Something else.

>>4347056
>>Nah. You’d rather steal away and “celebrate”

>>4347056
>>Nah. You’d rather steal away and “celebrate”
I initially wanted to chat with sunglass. But we came to make friends. Now that we are on our way up being shown favor. We capitalize it.

>>4347056
>Discuss things with Lord Sunglass now.
I want to smug it up. Give him the "Look forward to a prosperous relationship blah blah blah"

>>4347056
>>Nah. You’d rather steal away and “celebrate”

>>4347076
Even then I wouldn't want to be smug. He has been nothing but courteous with us for the most part I can't remember him being a dick.
He is our neighbor, and we should try and keep a good relationship with him if possible. Who knows we could trade food with him if house rambton somehow loses its ability to produce food, or anything else...

>>4347056
>>Nah. You’d rather steal away and “celebrate”
Time to schmooze and booze. Perhaps not in that order. And then stumble upon an old vault full of dragon eggs and valyrian steel while trying to find a quiet place to shag.

>>4347056
>Nah. You’d rather steal away and “celebrate”

>>4347056
>>Nah. You’d rather steal away and “celebrate”

Another dish comes out. Looks like a roast pigeon with a berry sauce over top. That everyone gets their own does bring back Septon Boremund’s earlier words of famine in the Stormlands. It might’ve been enough to hurt your appetite had you not been distracted trailing your hand up and down Cerelle’s thighs beneath the table. It doesn’t take long before she gives up trying to focus on her meal and just lets you work your magic. She crosses and uncrosses her legs, no doubt frustrated with whichever god is the patron of courtly dresses.

She abruptly gives in and stands. “My lords and ladies will excuse us. We must step away for a moment. A call of nature.”

“We?” your septon mutters with arched brow. She’s a terrible liar.

“You look quite flushed. Are you well, my lady?” Lady Tanda asks.

“Yes, it seems my child doesn’t agree with the food. Perhaps it’s best we retire. A pleasure, to be sure. Aurion?” she offers her hand as the words tumble out.

“Oh, go on then. I’ll find my own way back,” Septon Boremund scoffs through his bushy beard.

“Yes, well. Please tell Lenore to find me in my old chambers. She’ll know. On the morrow, not now,” Cerelle hastily instructs while you snag the wine in parting.

She leads the way, knowing these grounds far better than you from her time quartered here as a handmaiden. You’ve undone about half the laces of her bodice by the time you reach what are apparently her old chambers in some tiny keep past the sept. You can’t help but laugh when she offhandedly calls it the Maidenvault, a queer name.

The chambers you enter are unoccupied but have a faint smell of perfumes and a lady’s effects throughout. “Oh. One of my replacements?” Cerelle ventures. Not your problem. You push a great heavy chest over until the door is well blocked and then get to work on the dress. To your surprise, she frees you first and gets down on her knees. She’s never done that before---

>>4347244
You’re well and truly content when you wake to pounding on the wooden door. Cerelle is still sprawled out naked on the bed in a blissful sleep. She was never an early riser from what you know. Must’ve made a terrible handmaiden, really. You grumble out a reply that likely goes unheard and reach for the wine. Empty. A true reason to rise. You pull on your breeches and slide the chest over to be greeted by Ser Edger and his sister Lenore along with some other girl distraught looking girl of an age with your wife’s cousin. They all collectively gasp at the state of the room… or is it a clothing thing? You glance back to the beautiful sight of the early morning light on a nice full, porcelain-colored arse.

“Don’t make it weird, mate. She’s your cousin,” you clap Ser Edger on the shoulder as you exit the room and give Cerelle some privacy. He only turns redder at your words, at a loss.

“Your shirt, ser,” he manages to deflect. You start to notice the two ladies present are very much torn between pretending to look away and counting the scars and company marks on your lithe frame.

“You’re welcome to go look for it. Ah, and it’s ‘lord’ now. Hadn’t you heard?” you give him a smug look that has him stammering out an apology that you wave off. You could get used to this.

“I still don’t get why no one saw fit to bring me something a touch more breathable. Why’s it only ladies get handmaidens,” you complain later after Cerelle has dressed in a new outfit that Lenore brought for her. A blue that brings out her eyes rather than the green of last night. She owns several green dresses and has complained half-heartedly that bother her maiden house and current house favor colors that she insists don’t bring out her best features.

“You are more than welcome to take a squire. If anything, you are expected to,” Cerelle says as you break your fast on blood oranges and freshly baked bread in the small hall of the Maidenvault. Her cousins joined you as expected while the other girl, some handmaiden from the west, set to righting her chambers. Your wife was a bit embarrassed over leaving the poor girl out of her room and insisted she’ll make it up to her at some point, which was accepted with good grace.

>>4347247
“A thought,” you shrug. “At least you didn’t damage the buttons,” you say while smoothing out the doublet for this… judgement? Trial? Whatever it is they call these little events where highborn are formally slapped on their wrists.

“May we have a moment?” Cerelle asks her cousins. She waits until they’re out of earshot to continue. “What are you planning to do with Lady Cassandra, Aurion?”

“I hadn’t gotten much further than my presence, really. I wasn’t about to let Massey show up and swing this his way in my absence,” you say.

“Wise. However, we should decide on an approach,” she starts.

“You’re coming?”

“I would really rather not… there is only so much I am willing to tolerate those after my life. That is why I would rather discuss it now. They will almost certainly set the fines and punishments they so like to levy against houses nearest to the crown. Never mind the matter of assassins, House Massey has absolutely acted against us. The betrothal, the muster. It is exceedingly obvious, and I trust you could convince the Hand of it… or at least give him pause to consider it. Further, whether I like it or not, Lady Cassandra is infatuated with you to some degree. Perhaps she will speak truth as well,” Cerelle says.

“You suggest supporting Bar Emmon and damning Massey?” you venture.

“A possibility. Or damn them both if need be. Or… perhaps I’m being hasty. Outside of letters which could be forged, we haven’t any true proof on hand regardless of how many witnesses we may bring forth. It’s entirely possible that Lord Massey would get off with a stern talking to even if he was found to be guilty of conspiring with Bar Emmon. He hasn’t gone through with an act against us and there are worse things than betrothals between enemies. It would be a shame to lose favor so recently gained over a seemingly petty accusation... what do you think?”

>Speak in favor of Bar Emmon and against Massey
>Speak in favor of Bar Emmon without mentioning Massey
>Speak against Bar Emmon and Massey
>Speak against Bar Emmon alone

That’s it for tonight! Thanks for playing!

>>4347249
>Speak in favor of Bar Emmon and against Massey

>>4347249
>Speak in favor of Bar Emmon and against Massey
I really want to get some hard evidence on Massey, potentially on Rambton and the third house too, before we take it to a power higher than ourselves. Publicly, at least. But I also like the idea of convincing Jon of the plot and letting us rain merry hell upon them afterwards as King Robert's own black-ops fighting force on the pretense of finding evidence, which we still very well could do. Also, he might give us some men.

>>4347249
>Speak in favor of Bar Emmon without mentioning Massey
Massey could easily downplay the betrothal as part of Bar Emmons surrender. Make it sound like they did their job and we butted in.

I think the best play is to try to steer a betrothal to someone else without outright accusing Massey of anything

>>4347249
>>Speak in favor of Bar Emmon and against Massey
>>4347314
>Massey could easily downplay the betrothal as part of Bar Emmons surrender. Make it sound like they did their job and we butted in
Except we got the information from an assassin is how we we tell them. That they were in cahoots. Id rather house Massey falls out of favor, and has some prying eyes put on them. Since they will be looking to hit us somehow.
About their treasonous act. They actively plotted with the enemy to kill an allied force that weakens the crown. It was very much a power grab acting directly against the crown.
Fairly certain we could convince most people. Even if its not enough to prove it. We will have convinced enough people that they are shit house to ally with. Fucking with the future of that house.
The lady likes us, we use that to our advantage. Shame we couldn't coordinate with the girl prior. But she should believe we want the best for her, how she views us and should implicate house Massey anyhow to lessen her own damages. Since she was still an enemy of the crown it makes sense to do what her house did but house massey is pure treasonous.
Her speaking if it, us as a newfound lord, and letters. And our silver tongue.

>>4347249
>>Speak in favor of Bar Emmon and against Massey
As much as I want to get Cassandra I don't think we'll be able to do enough damage to both of them at once for that to be a viable option. Cassandra is infatuated with us and so we can probably use that to our advantage here. Massey is the bigger threat and I feel like we have to pick our battles here. Now that we're a lord we can probably pull her card at a later date.

>>4347249
>Speak against Bar Emmon and Massey

>>4347335
I wonder if we could taunt house into acting to prove their guilt more than we could. A convince/taunt, calling a house who would hire an assassin feeble and an insult to any noble blood blah blah any who allied with her brother to kill our wife are the lowest of the low. And then let her mention the ties she knows of between her departed brother and house massey and how she was sold as an ally against her will to a sniveling cunt of a man. blah blah
Really lay it on thick. Have Vaeron at the ready to be our champion just in case we get called out for "slander".
Sucks he doesn't have 10 more exp to put into endurance.

Taunting is risky. You goad another character into action based on your barbs and insults. You can use Taunt to provoke a character to do something you want at the cost of worsening his or her disposition toward you.
Consequences of Defeat: Taunting pushes your opponent to act. An opponent who has an Amiable or better disposition does what you want, but when he has completed the task, his disposition falls by one step. An opponent whose disposition is Neutral or Dislike may or may not perform the task based on the danger posed to him. Again, his disposition worsens by one step. Finally, opponents with dispositions worse than Dislike attack you or flee if attacking is not an option.

I really don't expect to to win much here. But we might even be seen as an extremely trust worthy house to the king if all of our stars align. And keep a friendly disposition rating with the king while shitting/bringing out the lies to light on his allies.

>>4347249
> in favor of Bar Emmon against Massey
we're house Shryke goddamn it, not house "let's deal with our enemies later". Also, Cassandra does not need her house weakened more, it's weak enough, she's an orbiter already, she can be an ally or vassal later

>>4347249
>Speak against Bar Emmon and Massey
Maybe we'll be allowed to lord over if we can get them both utterly disgraced.

>>4347249
>>Speak in favor of Bar Emmon and against Massey

>>4347249

>Speak in favor of Bar Emmon and against Massey

>>4347249

>Speak against Bar Emmon and Massey

The Bar Emmon court was trying to fuck us too, let's not forget.

We just don't have to badmouth Cassandra necessarily, due to her "helpfulness." As an organization though Bar Emmon deserves to eat shit for this too.

Maybe throw in how we believe Lord Guncer to not have known about the plotting, score some points with him. I like the guy.

>>4347688
Supporting this approach.

Yeah this is a tricky one. We were acting as protectors to Cassandra lately, but her House did do wrong. Anyway, I hope she realizes that we're going out of our way to protect her from the consequences and she should be extremely grateful in the future. or have an arrangement like the previous Boggs quest where she has our baby and raises it as her heir, not wanting any possible husband to usurp her power

>Speak in favor of Bar Emmon and against Massey

>>4347838
I really don't want to go through that again

>>4347857
It doesn't really make sense here given the personalities of the characters involved and their higher profiles (lordly houses vs minor landed knights).

>>4347688
Supporting

>>4347838
If Vaeron's son was much older we could've betrothed them.

If we're asked for an opinion on her marriage we should suggest someone non-threatening, not interested in politics and not powerful, who'll take her name instead (like Mervyn in rhe Reynold quest) and who's loyal to the crown. I don't know who this person is, though. That way we'll be able to keep our influence with her without fear of her surpassing us in the future.

>>4348494
Ser Ilyn Payne

>>4348494
Unironically Ser Edger. Their kids and ours would be cousins of some sort

>>4347688
+1

I should have a post up in the morning with a full run tomorrow night.

>>4348531
They would be second cousins since Edger/Lenore are Cerelle's first cousins as Lewys' brother's children.

>>4348445
How old is Vaerons son? We could take him as a squire.

>Lord in 8 threads
>Mervyn is still only a Ser

the virgin eagle vs The Chad Shryke

>>4349398
The chad master bullshiter vs the virgin murder knight

>>4349500
>>4349398
You leave people to do what they do best. Aurion is a leader. Merv is a killer. It's hard for people to want to elevate a guy that they want out there swinging his hammer.

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“I’d say it’d be easiest to paint Lady Cassandra as a victim in all this with Massey and her brother the aggressors. Hells, it’s what I’d most sympathize with,” you say.

“Would you,” Cerelle flatly comments, staring at you with a slight frown. Her deep blue eyes don’t reveal the extent of her thoughts on the matter, but you know she is far from forgiving when it comes to your ward. Not for the first time, you’re left wondering just how deep her thoughts and plans go.

“Aye,” you commit. “What sort of man wouldn’t? She’s a timid, simple-minded girl while the others are anything but. It’s not like these copper clippers will let her walk without payment even if I declare her the Maiden reborn. I’d sooner see her look cheated out of her dowry, so Massey has to pay it back. That’ll have him sweating.”

“Unless she simply agrees to wed him, which would undoubtedly solve many of her problems,” Cerelle points out.

“I could speak with her---”

“You could. After judgement is rendered. The simple fact of the matter is that this betrothal still stands. Regardless of whatever childish fancies she may harbor, you never truly seduced her, and she has no reason to believe you ever will… unless she’s lighting candles in the sept for my untimely death. What reason does she have to break faith with Lord Dustin aside from his rather uncouth table manners? No other option has presented itself and his returning of her dowry is an uncertainty. And, as much as I dislike uttering these words of any lady, this one in particular could do with a strong husband and I believe even she is well aware of it,” Cerelle says.

“Hmm. Might be we’ll have to have a little faith?” you venture. She doesn’t seem to share your enthusiasm, so you change the subject. “What will you be doing while I’m stuck playing the courtly type?”

“I hadn’t given it much thought,” she passively replies.

“You know if you’d said, well… anything else, then I might’ve just believed you,” you tell her.

“If you must know… I simply intended to catch up with old friends and neighbors of the west…” she relents.

“Why not just say so?”

She fidgets. “I’ve yet to decide what to do… about my family and their relationship with our house. There may be other opportunities worth considering. We can discuss it when I know more, Aurion.”

>>4349869
“Sounds like your sort of matter. Well, best of luck I suppose. Shall we?” you walk with her and her cousins to Maidenvault’s entrance where the rest of your knights are gathered. You note they’re all fully armored, although some wear less than others. Per your instructions, Marq had prepared suits for each in advance, but needed to work on adjustments to your knights’ particular builds. Especially Ser Pate, who looks nearly comically massive in half-plate. Most of the others stuck with breastplates, which makes sense for their fighting styles. The only exception is Ser Jorry Bywater in his full plate and… Vaeron, who has apparently finally given in and filled out his half-plate.

They’ve gathered in strength rather than taking shifts to show their hearty support for your new lordship. A fine gesture and much appreciated. Well, at least by you. “I don’t need seven knights following me around like some mockery of the Kingsguard, Aurion,” Cerelle whispers.

“Fine. Vaeron, you’re with me. And… Sers Osmund and Warren,” you nod to the two Clawmen friends. If you need to turn things bloody today, then they’re the least likely to have any qualms over it. “There, four should get you around nicely,” you say with a parting kiss.

“We off to kill someone, milord brother?” Vaeron half-jests.

“I haven’t decided yet. First we’ve to see if anyone else is in the mood to do that for us…”

It takes some asking to get your bearings. Upon entering, you find it apparent that this little meeting isn’t in the main body of the Great Hall as it is still being cleaned and emptied of all the tables from last night’s festivities by a veritable army of servants. As expected, the servants themselves are more current on the goings on than even the guards and a couple are willing to whisper to you of the Hand’s presence in the smaller hall of Maegor’s Holdfast.

A few heads turn your way as you enter the hall. Your knights take position along the back wall while you stride forward with purpose. Lady Cassandra is kneeling before the dais, finishing reciting some oath of loyalty to the Lord Hand and some of the advisors you recognize from the feast, including the Kingsguard knight and the gaunt looking man. Other knights and courtiers look on from the sidelines, but Lord Massey is conspicuously absent. Perhaps leaving in a fit wasn’t in his best interest? It’s not as if he’d have informants in the Red Keep to tell him of this hearing… at least not until it’s too late, you hope.

One clears his throat as Lady Cassandra finishes. “Now if we may move onto the matter of restitution for House Bar Emmon’s treasons?”

“With what coin?” you call out as you approach the dais.

>Break it all down logically (Convince)
>Full demagogue (Incite)

>>4349874
Full Demagogue

>>4349874
>>Break it all down logically (Convince)
Facts and logic, baby.

>>4349874
>Full demagogue (Incite)

Fuck shit I did it again

>>4349874
>Break it all down logically (Convince)

>>4349874
>Break it all down logically (Convince)

>>4349874
>>Full demagogue (Incite)

>>4349874
>Full demagogue (Incite)

>>4349874
>>Full demagogue (Incite)

>>4349874
>>Break it all down logically (Convince)

Isn't this our better stat?

>>4350124
>rollplaying

>>4349874
>>Break it all down logically (Convince)

Aurion Shryke J.D.

>>4349874
>Full demagogue (Incite)

>>4349874
>>Break it all down logically (Convince)

Changing >>4349905 to
>Full demagogue (Incite)

>>4349874
>Full demagogue (Incite)

>>4349874
Full demagogue (Incite)
I just like the option, but who are we trying to incite?
>Lord Massey is conspicuously absent
I imagine it being we are inciting everyone here about the treason he committed, to have scorn for the lord?

>>4350226
Yep. Filling them with rage/outrage over the way it's all played out. More appealing to their codes of honor and emotions than an "exhibit A, exhibit B" sort of approach. Riskier in a sense, but more rewarding. And it looks like that's what we're going with. I'll resume in a few hours with the results of the roll.

>Can I get 3 rolls of 6d6 for Persuasion (Incite)?

Rolled 1, 1, 6, 2, 5, 1 = 16 (6d6)

>>4350238

Rolled 2, 3, 5, 4, 5, 3 = 22 (6d6)

>>4350238

Rolled 1, 3, 1, 5, 2, 6 = 18 (6d6)

>>4350238

>>4350252
This was a pretty underwhelming roll. Still pretty fucking solid. But just underwhelming with what could have happened.
Heroic level shit is a roll of 21 and we beat that, but still.

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Your sudden appearance and words seemingly in a traitor’s favor have the onlookers and hangers-on buzzing. Lady Cassandra’s relief at your presence is plain even at the brief glance you spare her.

“The crown recognizes Lord Aurion Shryke…” Lord Arryn sighs. “There had better be a good reason for this, my lord.”

“A good reason, my Lord Hand? Why stop with one? My lords should know, there is no gold to be found in Sharp Point. Her coffers are emptied, and her town sacked,” you start.

“Your doing, I assume?” Lord Arryn suggests. Well, perhaps if you had the time and the means…

“Perish the thought, my lord, not under such circumstances. You see my aim may have been punitive, to see these dragon’s men brought low for their many treacheries, but my actions at Sharp Point turned more towards rescue when the truth was laid bare before me. Aside from Lady Bar Emmon’s safety, I gained naught but letters. Letters that just might be worth more than gold for they were proof of the basest treacheries. And justice, my friends, is priceless,” you explain, causing more of a buzz about you.

“Then who sacked Sharp Point?” Lord Arryn demands, looking perturbed.

“Why, House Massey of course, my lord. After all, they were mustering together with House Bar Emmon to raid the good King Robert’s loyal subjects. Treachery comes naturally to those thrice-cursed dogs, so they acted to their baser natures when I thwarted their plans,” you answer, heralding a roar of outcry. It takes the combined shouting of several of the lords and knights of the dais to quiet them.

“Have you any proof of these accusations, my Lord Shryke?” Lord Arryn coldly asks.

“Aside from letters of correspondence and scores of witnesses, well… my lady please remind me, what did you say happened to the gold?” you ask. All eyes turn to the fearful young lady.

“It… it was given to House Massey by my brother. As dowry for my hand,” she admits.

“When?” Lord Arryn demands.

“A fortnight before, my lord. When my brother ascended…” she answers. Good enough.

“She means Lord Maldon, if ever there was one less deserving of title. Three brothers they were and Maldon the youngest. The eldest fell on The Trident and the second… Noble Lord Baldric. He was a peaceful soul by all accounts, saw the wisdom in King Robert’s cause, but he was cut down before his time. An ambush? An accident? By all means take your pick my lords, whichever story sounds more believable! Nay, I name it kinslaying.” That really gets the onlookers shouting.

>>4350631
“WE WILL HAVE ORDER!” Lord Arryn shouts. “Continue.”

“Kinslaying indeed, my friends,” you continue as you pace about the floor. “There is nothing more accursed in the eyes of the gods, but what is that to a godless wretch such as Maldon Bar Emmon? Why, he had already tried to poison me in my very seat. Surely, some of you have heard this tale at least in part? A manticore. I know of the vile monsters from my exploits in Essos, but I must admit this one got the best of me still with it so cleverly and blasphemously disguised in the desecrated tome of The Seven-Pointed Star.” You have to shout to continue. “BUT I WAS SAVED! By the Maiden herself! In the form of my dear friend Ser Vaeron’s maiden sister, the Fair Lady Aella. She fearlessly swatted the fell beast from the table,” you swat the air for emphasis before lowering your voice so that the onlookers lean in to better hear. “Alas, she was stung by the beast in her valor. No man has survived such a sting… it kills the instant the poison reaches the heart, but Fair Aella prevailed for two weeks before succumbing… a miracle!”

Many others take up the cry of “miracle” until you continue. “The assassin was caught, and he gave names before he took his own life. He named House Bar Emmon! He named House Rambton! HE NAMED HOUSE MASSEY!” You continue when you can. “Lord Guncer Sunglass, an honorable and pious man, may attest to this. Together, we obtained Rambton’s confessions and he worked even now to restore honor to his wayward bannermen. As for the rest, why their actions speak for themselves. Lord Dustin Massey’s brother, Ser Lorton Massey, was amongst those felled in my raid. He had been supping comfortably with his friend and coconspirator, Lord Maldon Bar Emmon. I personally dueled Lord Maldon in the high halls of Sharp Point. I say this without pride for what glory is there to be won in defeating a man so womanly and craven to twice resort to poisons? He yielded at the first taste of my Valyrian Steel,” you pat your sword for emphasis. “And then tried to strike at me with a poisoned dagger to my back. But I was saved again! This time by Ser Vaeron, who smote the craven as he struck and avenged his dear departed sister, the Maid Aella.”

>>4350633
The crowd is right and properly worked up, but a few on the dais look at least somewhat conflicted at your fantastical telling of events. To the more composed, your words may seem a little too good. “Words are wind,” states the gaunt man at Lord Arryn’s side. He looks vaguely familiar. “Who witnessed this aside from your own sworn men?”

“Lady Bar Emmon was present, of course. Her craven brother kept her around to play the harp at his fancy while waiting for Lord Massey to collect and defile her,” you say.

“Lord Aurion speaks truly,” she quietly confirms.

“There you have it. From the mouth of an innocent maid. One may only imagine what it was like to be a maid kept prisoner in that den of vipers, fearful of further kinslaying with only her harp to keep the snakes at bay. The promise to be pimped to a turncoat looming… restitution? Aye, to be sure. Our good King Robert, the bane of incestuous fiends, long may he reign, is owed his due from the dogs of dragons. That is justice. But does justice not also demand Lady Cassandra’s precious dowry, the last lifeblood of her house, be returned to her? Is that not what you desire, my lady?” you ask, looking deep in her stormy grey eyes.

“It is. I would like it back,” she agrees.

“Well? Must the lady ask twice? Are we not men? Who amongst you will see justice done?” you call out.

The bulk of the knights and lordlings in the hall take up the cry for justice. For wrongs done and for the maiden Lady of Sharp Point still kneeling at your side. It’s to the point where you have a fleeting thought that you perhaps may have made Lady Cassandra a little too popular… but for now you’re more concerned with the veteran lords on the dais. Several appear just as worked up as the younger men, but a few are grim including Lord Arryn and the other gaunt lord. Either they’re not so easily swayed by your style of oratory or they simply better understand the gravity of the charges laid bare before them. Or both. Finally, Lord Arryn stands, and the hall falls silent.

>>4350637
“Lord Horton Redfort. Ser Vardis Egen,” the Hand calls, and two veterans step forward. He hesitates a moment before calling a third name, a slight boy, “Lord Petyr Baelish. You will take my host with Lord Shryke and restore order upon Massey’s Hook. You will do this at once.”

“My Lord Hand,” the Kingsguard interrupts. “By your leave, I would see this through as well.”

“Granted, Ser Barristan. You shall have command as befits your station,” Lord Arryn nods and then addresses the entire hall with steel in his voice and bearing.

“I, Lord Jon Arryn, Hand of the King and Warden of the West declare Dustin of House Massey guilty of breaching the King’s Peace, dower fraud… and high treason. I denounce him as a false friend and attaint him and his line. I hereby strip him of all land and title and declare him an outlaw. All loyal subjects of the realm are bound to hunt him, to harm him, and to take his life in the name of Robert of House Baratheon, First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm. Long may he reign.”

“LONG MAY HE REIGN,” the hall loudly echoes. Their approval of the verdict is palpable.

“This session is at an end,” the Hand announces and then sinks back into his chair, looking weary. A few of the council are still fidgety even as the knights start pouring out of the hall with vigor. No doubt many are Valemen like Lord Arryn keen on stretching their legs as a part of this host. Ah, he did name you as part of it as well. Tricky, that. As tempting as it might be to have some measure of vengeance and glory, you do have other pressing matters at hand. Braavos certainly comes to mind.

>Stay a moment longer to explain you’ve pressing matters elsewhere.
>It can wait until after you have your vengeance.
>Something else.

>>4350641
>It can wait until after you have your vengeance.

>>4350641
>>Stay a moment longer to explain you’ve pressing matters elsewhere.
What was the dc?

>>4350641
>It can wait until after you have your vengeance

>>4350668
Quite high probably

>>4350641
>It can wait until after you have your vengeance.

>>4350641
>It can wait until after you have your vengeance.

There's no reason to go to Braavos right away, if we find Massey then we should be able to get a clue before we storm a populous trading city filled with assassins in a city known for assassins

>>4350641
>>It can wait until after you have your vengeance.
We should get Aurion a daytime talkshow.
"King Robert, in the case of Joffre, Myrcella, and Tommen Baratheon, YOU ARE NOT THE SIRE"

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>>4350690
>WHOOOORE!

>>4350641
>It can wait until after you have your vengeance.

>>4350641
>It can wait until after you have your vengeance

Wouldn't Jon Arryn or anyone else at least want to hear out Dustin Massey, given he is in the city? I'm cheering the result but as a lawyer it doesn't sit right with me that he was in the city but wasn't given an opportunity to present his side.. even now if he's captured in the city there will be no need for fighting in Massey's Hook.

>>4350688
We should specifically let Based Barry know about Massey hiring the assassin from Braavos, if we let him do what he does best Massey won't make it out alive before we question him, and Barristan is honorable enough if we ask him to keep Massey alive to find the assassin im sure he'll help. Maybe push Littlefinger overboard when know one is looking

>>4350701
he could have left already, perhaps that's why Jon was gung ho about outlawing him

>>4350641
>>It can wait until after you have your vengeance.

>>4350641
>>It can wait until after you have your vengeance.

>>4350668
Very varied given your audience. You didn't fail with anyone, it was just a matter of degrees of success being needed as well. Stannis and Jon were only partially incited for example. The bulk of the knights ate it up. You certainly could've rolled higher, but we take the number, not the number compared to the maximum. A 22 is still a very high roll.

>>4350701
Yeah, I've imagined it as more of a trial sort of deal myself, even had some ideas for trial by combat stuff, but I do try to go with realism over mustache twirling "gotchas" for villains unless that's perfectly warranted. In this case, I couldn't justify Massey somehow finding out in time that all of this was going down right now after he stormed off from the feast early.

From there... a matter of feudal justice. Yeah, Jon's fair, or tries to be, and he would've gone with a trial had you done convince, but you riled up the entire hall and had them ready to pull out swords and wave them around in the air. That with corroborating witnesses and the unlikelihood of Sunglass denying his cleaning house at Rambton makes Massey look guilty as hell. A trial would be nice and fair, but making and example out of a deceitful bannerman and giving the mob of bored knights a taste of glory is better for the Realm than one man getting his fair day in court.

>>4350724
I should add, I did heavily lean on that scene from the first book where Ned Stark condemns Gregor.

>>4350724
Yeah I get you. Still there could have been a mention of 'Is he present among us to defend himself?' kind of comment from Stannis or Jon. Beyond that, if we manage to capture him in the city there would be no need for fighting at his castle because he can just call on them to stand down.

So now that his whole line has been attainted, what happens to the land?

>>4350735
It's his direct line, so probably a more loyal cousin will get the bulk of it. His nephew is a page or squire for the king, for example.

>>4350641
>Braavos

We dont need to be here. They have it covered.

>>4350735
If he was then why sit on his thumb and let us rant.

>>4350641
>>Stay a moment longer to explain you’ve pressing matters elsewhere.

>>4350641
>It can wait until after you have your vengeance.

No sense in risking shaking up your gains here by begging leave at the last moment... besides, it might be that Cleo is right? The coin could've been for more swords or a Faceless problem to be dealt with months from now. The alternative... well, best not to dwell on that too much with vengeance in your palm.

“He’s still in the city, yeah?” Vaeron falls into step with you along with Sers Osmund and Warren.

“Should be. You know when you think back on all the shit you should’ve said in an argument?” you ask him.

“Aye, you’ve met Janesa,” he says.

“Can’t say I do much. I’m just that good,” you lightly jab his armored side. “But I do wish I’d asked where he was lodged now. Might be one of those copper clipping inns that cater to highborn and get all antsy when you walk in off the streets with a tavern wench or two and perfectly good silver… or does he have a manse?”

“Dunno. Goldcloaks’d be all over a manse. We could check the docks?” he suggests.

“Look around brother, half the city’s ringed with docks. This time of day, there’s got to be a score of ships casting off right about now,” you point out.

“… ask Cleo? Doubt we'll catch him, but we could at least find out where he's going. Guess we can deal with him later if he’s keen enough to give the goldcloaks the slip… I hope he does. I’d prefer to kill him myself all the same,” he says.

“Fair enough... the host’d be going over land wouldn’t they? They be too large to risk at sea without the warships they don’t have. What a bother. Most of the lads are back on Stormgrave too… we could sail the Harvest there and scoop them up first. Elsewise this lot’ll try to take all the glory and loot,” you muse. “Begs the question of what to do about my lady wife. She could sail back with us or it might be she’s safer here…”

“In this city? No one’s safe here, not even kings. I heard some’ve gotten killed by that throne even. Rejects them if they’re not worthy,” Vaeron says.

“Huh. How does it know?” you ask.

“Dunno mate, I’m not a maegi,” he shrugs.

“Well you might be right, but she does have friends and such here. Or she could stay in the keep even?”

Two things:

>Travel with the host over land
>Go by sea and grab some more men from Stormgrave

And:

>Have Cerelle returned to Stormgrave
>See if you can come to other arrangements to keep her here

More tomorrow, thanks for playing!

>>4350839
>Go by sea and grab some more men from Stormgrave
Hammer and anvil

>>4350839
>Have Cerelle returned to Stormgrave
Unless she's made headway on some matters then she probably wants to get away from her parents and Cersei

>>4350839
>>Go by sea and grab some more men from Stormgrave
Prove ourselves to those who have yet to see our boys in action.
>>Ask Cerelle where she'd like to be.
But add that all of our knights and her handmaidens stay with her. Let's not leave her alone.

>>4350839
>>Go by sea and grab some more men from Stormgrave
>>Have Cerelle returned to Stormgrave

>>4350839
>Travel with the host over land
>See if you can come to other arrangements to keep her here

>>4350839
>>Go by sea and grab some more men from Stormgrave
Leave our new knights to wait on our lady wife.
>See if you can come to other arrangements to keep her here
A nice pillage will do us wonders. Hopefully we may even pick up some from the new branch and hold em hostage. After seeing their lands go down in flames.
God this trip to KL has been fruitful. Shame we haven't been able to deal with Massey's hired help. But if we can take him alive we might be able to beat the truth out of him. And threaten him with killing his while line to give us the truth.

>>4350839
>Go by sea and grab some more men from Stormgrave
>See if you can come to other arrangements to keep her here

>>4350839
>Travel with the host over land

They have a fleet. Fuck that. We will look like the biggest jobbers in history if they surrender on land and we lose ships at sea because of poor communication.

>See if you can come to other arrangements to keep her here

I'm convinced the goal is to get her killed at this point. I do like this write-in too.

>Ask Cerelle where she'd like to be

For asking where she wants to stay in the city or maybe she wants to go back west until this blows over?

>>4350839
>Travel with the host over land
>See if you can come to other arrangements to keep her here

>>4350917
>fleet
Bulky = slower to prep & organize. If we went to get our men and head there directly. But more importantly we're banking that he will resist to some extent. We need at least a unit if we plan to pillage and loot. Can't do that with a handful of men. Or at least there won't be much to earn there.

We could still choose to pillage with 1 unit and hit the castle with the other. I hope he has more dragon troops in open rebellion with him. So we could sweep the floor with them, and gain more glory.

>>4350937
If he has any sense then he's not going to be there at all. Why flee to where he knows an army is going? I'd look for him in essos or on dragonstone. My point is, we show up with our small fleet and fight his and ships are lost on EITHER SIDE and we just fucked the crown out of loyal ships. I don't see how we don't fight his fleet if we show up with ours because it's not like we can communicate with them easily and they can't easily communicate with the land forces. I don't want to be the retarded version of andrew jackson.

Now we go there alone and we are with idk? A thousand men? Ten thousand? Somewhere in between. Enough without ours. So our guys don't get to pillage. Big deal. As much as everyone wants to ignore it and play chicken with plot armor assumptions, we know Massey just dumped a bunch of gold into assassins. How much loot is there left to gain? Glory we can get on our own by being first in the castle with Vaeron at our side. Maybe Barristan too if he's down. Take a hostage or two and then come back demanding reparations of our own. Let's be smart about this.

>>4350955
I hear you. We won't charge head first into an enemy fleet when we know reinforcements are coming. I kinda just want to make sure we incite an attack if possible/a pillage even if surrendering. Which we can't do as well with out any troops of our own. But You do make a solid point. I am not arguing with that, I even like it.

I would think that he would go home if he can slip out to pick up his family. He has a kid I believe and I would imagine more family like his mother or something.
And he should still have some money on hand. The more we can hurt his house the better. The survivors likely the Massey branch that the king's squire comes from will get it. Will still have to pay back Bar Emmons dowry. And if we wreck their shit, that whole house will be just as bad as a loyalist house with reparations. Owing money and fixing their lands.

>>4350839
>Travel with the host over land
Interacting with these guys should be fun

>See if you can come to other arrangements to keep her here

I'm going to close the Cerelle vote so I can get some planning done, but I'll keep the land/sea part open since there are some interesting arguments both ways.

Can't we go ourselves over land and send Vaeron to fetch the lads?

>>4351828
Sure, why not? I'm fine with write-ins. If it gets the votes, then we can do that. You'd have less control over your men on the sea approach, but they'd at least be present and you'd still get to mingle with the Valemen. Up to you guys if that's a fair trade off or not.

I'm going to pick this up tomorrow so this all goes smoothly from my end. I don't like having large delays between posts for combat runs. If you guys want to strategize on your approach in the meantime, then by all means come up with stuff.

Alright then,
>Write-in
>Go over land and send Vaeron to pick up the troops

Although I'm less confident about this getting votes this late.

>>4350839
>>4351911
this

>>4351911
Ah whatever, I'll vote for this too

>>4351880>>4351911
I assume our reinforcements from Stormgrave aren't going to do a naval assault on the castle by themselves, given that, can't we just meet up on the way (given how naval travel speed is better than on land). Given that the overland forces will have to go around the blackwater rush and through the Kingswood, can't we just have a rendezvous at the mouth of the Wendwater river? Safest route for our ships too, if the ships go around the Hook and hug the coast.

>>4351880
>>Go over land and send Vaeron to pick up the troops
I dig it. Gives us time to engineer a tragic destrier accident for Petyr.

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>>4351936
Yeah, that would be very doable, and thanks for suggesting it. The road cuts south, so the host is going to have to divert off of it and slow even further. It would be easy to meet at the Wendwater. Here's a map for everyone for context. House Massey is at Stonedance. I would've put that as an option before, but I hadn't thought of it. Since there's no reason why you can't do this, let's have a vote open until tomorrow on this more refined take.

>Go by land, rendezvous with your men at the Wendwater River
>Take your fleet and assault Stonedance by sea

Yes, these are mutually exclusive. IC you'd know from your last battle that your fleet is well outclassed by Massey's without your ground troops bulking out the decks of your ships.While we're at it, one more thing: you can transport 2 units. The 1st Heavies seem a given, so which other will you take?

>Veteran Cavalry
>Trained Crossbowmen

>>4352043
>Go by land, rendezvous with your men at the Wendwater River
>Veteran Cavalry