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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Aug 7, 2019 20:22:52 GMT 1
Location: Whitewalls Courtyards Time: The morning after the Whitewalls Melee. Notes: After the assassination of Ser Jonothor Wellbeck and the Daverhyl assult on Ser Eoric Applehouse in the Melee. A follow up to -> greatbastards.boards.net/post/25374/threadThe day after the melee a messenger arrived in the late morning for Laena, the same young lad Balon had used to send her his invitation for lunch several days ago. Unlike last time when the boy's disposition could've been described as energetic, this time he seemed disheartened, as if he'd been scolded or punished for something. He simply handed the rolled up and sealed parchment before scurrying off. Inside was a message from Balon written in Valyrian, inviting Laena to the courtyards for a talk about some troubling things he'd learned. When Laena arrived it wouldn't have taken much effort to find him. Balon paced in front of a bench in one of the more secluded areas of Whitewall's courtyards. His head was down and it looked like he was mumbling to himself. His left hand rested on the pommel of his sword Legacy while his right hand gesticulated in the air as if he was arguing with someone. His shield that had his personal sigil rested against the bench, and odd thing to bring for a chat. When Balon noticed her approach he looked up to reveal a mix of anger and consternation on his face. If there was one thing Laena could count on when it came to Balon was his genuine excitement to see her. This time his jaw was locked and there was nary a smile. Something had him greatly concerned.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 8, 2019 7:47:18 GMT 1
Leaving her chaperone at a discreet distance, Laena approaches, wearing a serious face. Under other circumstances, she likely would tease him that she was the one supposed to be showing signs of madness. But whatever it was that was concerning him, it was clearly something he considered serious.
Deciding to forego formality, rather than curtsey when she reaches him, she reaches forward and places a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it reassuringly. "Morning. What's wrong?" Her voice soft and soothing, trying to bleed off the rage inside him before he exploded.
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Aug 8, 2019 21:33:38 GMT 1
She reaches forward and places a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it reassuringly. "Morning. What's wrong?" Her voice soft and soothing, trying to bleed off the rage inside him before he exploded. For a brief moment Laena's soothing voice worked. The anger in his eyes lessened and his hand dropped from the pommel of his sword. But as she rubbed his shoulder he winced in pain and gently took her hand into his own. Upon closer inspection Laena could see a nasty bruise creeping up from underneath his tunic to the exposed part of his neck. The Daverhyls had left their mark. Balon hesitated, not sure how to answer her question. He sighed, Best to just spit it out, "Who in House Starkwood is assassinating my friends?" After a brief pause he continued, "They're either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. And trust me, if I'm able to piece together the clues what do you think will happen when someone more vindictive than me figures it out?" His words came out faster almost like he was confessing, "I didn't think much of Ser Dickon's death after Summerhall, infections happen after all. But after Ser Jonothor's assassination while he slept and the ruffians who attacked Ser Eoric..." Balon looked into the distance as if he was recalling something he'd seen, "Fuck, did you see what the Daverhyls did to Eoric?"
Balon's voice was softer and his pace slowed, "I promised you I'd leave the Starkwoods alone and I meant it. But if they're behind it or someone at Starkwood is... I *have* to respond. My cousin Lynesse, as much as what she said was wrong, could be next. Fuck, *I* could be next. Let's not forget she tried to convince half of Highgarden I knocked her down."I should point out Balon has no hard evidence. Just circumstantial and prior prejudice to the Starkwoods. *Initiate Intrigue Objective: Reveal any information Laena has on the deaths of Dickon, Jonothor, and Eoric(?) I'll post my stats in the next post (not that this won't be a verbal ass beating)
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 9, 2019 7:31:42 GMT 1
Honesty - Initiative: 7d6k5+1 20 Pretty sure that's higher than you can hit, so I go first. Objective: It was just light reflecting off a weather balloon into some swamp gas. Their uncontrolled bigotry was to blame. You still have time to avoid their fate. ID: 13 Composure: 11/11 DR: 2 Honesty - SoI - Language (Breeding) vs Will (Ded): 7d6k4+1 18 I believe that to be exactly 2 DoS! Converting to +1 to all Persuasion tests (Which, combined with Charismatic, cancels out my disposition penalties). Honesty - R1 - Influence: 6d6k4 18 2 DoS. 8 Influence. Sitting beside him, she gently says. "There is no-one within House Starkwood who could accomplish what you're describing, even if they wanted to." True enough, since she no longer considered herself part of the house. "I understand why you would think what you do. But consider *how* all the events happened. Firstly, Ser Nestor Flowers was killed by Ser Symon. Simple enough, and this one clearly *can* be laid at a Starkwood's door, but the idea that Ser Symon has anywhere near the skill required to accomplish the other acts is utterly ridiculous. "Secondly, Ser Roland Cordwayner killed Ser Dickon Tarly. Like him or not, Ser Roland is a man with a firm moral core. That he would deliberately assassinate a man is ridiculous. That he would do so in public to a man who had done him no personal wrong for a house which can do nothing for him is far beyond the realm of credulity. "Thirdly, Ser Jonothor's assassination. It is worth pointing out that House Bridges has been rather .. turbulent in recent times. Very bloody. So, this is hardly unusual for the house's recent history. It's also worth pointing out that there was a recent exodus of disaffected knights from the house. Ser Jonothor was obviously a prime suspect in the betrayal of his former lord. I would be more surprised if at least one of the departed knights *didn't* at least hint at the betrayal than if they did. And then, what happened makes complete sense. "Finally, Ser Eoric. First the ruffians to soften him up before the melee, then the Daverhyls to finish him off. There are two possibilities here: either a Dornish Lord took great offence at the words and actions of a notoriously ill-mannered anti-Dornish brute, or someone within House Starkwood - and not Lord Ulbert, he's much too honourable, so it couldn't be anything with the actual house's weight, tiny as it is, behind it - convinced a lord they have no ties or history with to literally risk his life and that of his brothers to take down a politically insignificant knight. For what? There is no-one within House Starkwood, aside from *maybe* Lord Ulbert himself, who could throw enough weight around to offer something that might attract a lord's attention. And as I said, I would literally bet my left arm that Lord Ulbert would never do anything so dishonourable. The house is just *too* insignificant to have that kind of power. And I highly doubt the Daverhyls would do anything out of the kindness of their heart. "So, while, as I said, I can understand why you would suspect House Starkwood, when you consider the context of the events, it is clear you are confusing cause and effect. The *cause* is that your 'friends' were terrible people. The *effect* is both that they thought insulting a murdered young woman at her funeral is acceptable behaviour, *and* that they did other acts which provoked other people. And the Seven in Ser Dickon's case. And it finally caught up with them, now that the knives are coming out. "So, are you at risk? Yes, probably. That's a key part of why I'm pushing so hard for you to moderate your public behaviour. You are making more enemies than you are likely aware of. And it only takes one angry, cunning, ruthless and lucky enough person to add you to the list of pre-war fatalities." She squeezes his hand carefully. "And I don't want that."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Aug 11, 2019 7:34:41 GMT 1
Objective: Reveal any information Laena has on the deaths of Dickon, Jonothor, and Eoric(?) Disposition: Affectionate ID: 11 Composure: 4/11 DR: 1 Frustration: 0/3 Just so I understand correctly - With a disposition of Affectionate towards Laena, Balon's DR is 1 and Laena suffers a -3 to Deception rolls, +3 if she was trying to Persuade him. With Laena's disposition of Friendly towards Balon, her DR is 2 and Balon gets a +2 to Persuasion rolls. I'll adjust rolls as needed. Honesty, Initiative, Status (Reputation): 4d6k3 9, I couldn't beat your roll but wanted to practice everything. Honesty, Free Action, Language (Breeding) vs. Will (Dedication): 4d6k3 11, A fail undoubtedly. 8 Influence -1 DR = 7 damage.
Honesty, R1, Persuasion (Convince) TN13: 3d6+4 15, 1 DoS3 Influence -2 DR = 1 damage to Laena
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Balon sat quietly as Laena soothed him. "There is no-one within House Starkwood who could accomplish what you're describing, even if they wanted to." "No one?" Balon seemed doubtful, "What about Lady Allyria? Her daughter was murdered wouldn't she..." Balon paused as he tried to explain something beyond her skin color, "wouldn't she try to do *something* to those that besmirched Ashara's name?" He looked to the ground thinking of another Starkwood to blame before looking up when she mentioned Symon. "What do you mean Ser Symon doesn't have the skill?" Balon seemed surprised that someone capable of murder and rape (allegedly) wouldn't be able to orchestrate a slow-played revenge. "Secondly, Ser Roland Cordwayner killed Ser Dickon Tarly..." "I'm sorry but I wasn't suggesting Ser Roland did it. He may be a naive fool but he also has a strong sense of honor and morality. What I'm saying is someone waited for Ser Dickon to be treated for his injuries then found a way to poison him orrrr cause his wounds to fester. Maybe they poisoned Ser Roland's weapon?" "Thirdly, Ser Jonothor's assassination. It is worth pointing out that House Bridges has been rather .. turbulent in recent times. Very bloody. So, this is hardly unusual for the house's recent history. It's also worth pointing out that there was a recent exodus of disaffected knights from the house. Ser Jonothor was obviously a prime suspect in the betrayal of his former lord. I would be more surprised if at least one of the departed knights *didn't* at least hint at the betrayal than if they did. And then, what happened makes complete sense. Balon did his best not to show any reaction to House Bridge's misfortune considering he'd played a large part in it. "Bloody how? You mean the death of Desmond?" The image of Balon's sword cleaving through Ser Dagos' head flashed in his mind. "I know several knights left Laughing Stream when Ser Farman was made lord but who'd want Ser Jonothor dead other than the Starkwoods? Ser Jonothor hated Dorne since before I was a squire and it was only recently that he turned his vitriol to your kin. It seems very suspicious that it was only after Summerhall that he was murdered.""Finally, Ser Eoric.... ...And as I said, I would literally bet my left arm that Lord Ulbert would never do anything so dishonorable. The house is just *too* insignificant to have that kind of power. And I highly doubt the Daverhyls would do anything out of the kindness of their heart." "Maybe Lord Ulbert didn't have anything to do with it but that doesn't clear Ser Symon." He sighed as Laena slowly unraveled his theory on the culprit(s). "Even if you're sure Symon doesn't have the skill I wouldn't put it past him to seek out the most blunt object possible to kill one of his neighbor's more outspoken critics." Balon was convinced of this attack compared to the others. "Ser Eoric is a fine swordsman, a very good tactician, anti Dornish, and opposed peace between Starkwood and Blackbriar. On top of that the Dornish Daverhyls are trying to murder my cousins Lynesse and Kyle so they can claim Mustard Hall. Eliminating him is a win-win for both houses." "So, are you at risk? Yes, probably. That's a key part of why I'm pushing so hard for you to moderate your public behavior. You are making more enemies than you are likely aware of. And it only takes one angry, cunning, ruthless and lucky enough person to add you to the list of pre-war fatalities." She squeezes his hand carefully. "And I don't want that." Balon was defensive, "I'm making friends in equal measure." Thank the Seven she doesn't know about my private behavior. When she squeezed his hand he squeezed back. A small smile crept up on his lips, "I assure you I have no desire to be a pre, during, or post war fatality." "I'll try to moderate my behavior but in some ways the die has been cast. People know where I stand. Some will avoid me, some will come seeking my aid, and some might try to kill me. It's why I'm making friends and gaining allies. The more friendly eyes on my back the harder it'll be for someone to put a dagger in it."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 11, 2019 11:10:57 GMT 1
Just so I understand correctly - With a disposition of Affectionate towards Laena, Balon's DR is 1 and Laena suffers a -3 to Deception rolls, +3 if she was trying to Persuade him. With Laena's disposition of Friendly towards Balon, her DR is 2 and Balon gets a +2 to Persuasion rolls. I'll adjust rolls as needed. Not quite. *Your* disposition affects *your* DR and *your* bonuses. So, I have -2 to my Deception (cancelled out by bonuses), and you have +3 to your Persuasion. I know where you're coming from - it feels like you should be more trusting/accepting of people you are close to, but no. Your disposition only affects your DR and your rolls, doesn't affect their rolls at all. It's actually 16, as noted above, but everything else is correct. ID: 13 Composure: 10/11 DR: 2 Honesty - R2 - Influence - TN11: 6d6k4 19 2 DoS. 2 * 4 - 1 = 7 Composure damage again. I think you have to take 2 Frustration to stay in the game, which will lower your ID to 7 next round.
"No one?" Balon seemed doubtful, "What about Lady Allyria? Her daughter was murdered wouldn't she..." Balon paused as he tried to explain something beyond her skin color, "wouldn't she try to do *something* to those that besmirched Ashara's name?" "She may well *want* to. But she's at Starkwood right now. There's no way she could arrange all the events here from such a distance. And it's not like she could hire proxies - there has to be a world for there to be an underworld, and Starkwood has *nothing*. She may have the intent - *may* - but she definitely lacks the *capability*." He looked to the ground thinking of another Starkwood to blame before looking up when she mentioned Symon. "What do you mean Ser Symon doesn't have the skill?" Balon seemed surprised that someone capable of murder and rape (allegedly) wouldn't be able to orchestrate a slow-played revenge. "I mean precisely that. The man has the subtlety of a mammoth. There aren't that many people of a Rhyonish hue this far north, so he'd already attract attention. Were he to attempt to sneak around to accomplish nefarious goals, he'd be exposed long before the plan could go into effect. The *only* tool he has is precisely what he used - hitting them very hard in broad daylight, using the letter of the rules to violate its spirit." "I'm sorry but I wasn't suggesting Ser Roland did it. He may be a naive fool but he also has a strong sense of honor and morality. What I'm saying is someone waited for Ser Dickon to be treated for his injuries then found a way to poison him orrrr cause his wounds to fester. Maybe they poisoned Ser Roland's weapon?" "So, let me get this right. You are suggesting that at Summerhall, *after* one of the guests had been brutally murdered by assassins, Ser Roland left his sword unattended long enough for someone to poison it? And he - a very diligent and talented knight - didn't carefully check and clean his weapon before the fight?" Her tone makes clear how plausible she thinks that idea. "Alternatively, someone - who would have to have poison already in-hand, since I doubt they could acquire any at Summerhall - managed to climb all the way up to the maester's room - probably only a single staircase, though I admit I could be wrong there - without being noticed, enter a room full of people minding the patients without arousing suspicion, poison the man without anyone noticing in a way that would escape the suspicions of a maester, and then leave again still without being spotted." She shakes her head incredulously. "You're not after an assassin, you are describing the Stranger reborn." Balon did his best not to show any reaction to House Bridge's misfortune considering he'd played a large part in it. "Bloody how? You mean the death of Desmond?" The image of Balon's sword cleaving through Ser Dagos' head flashed in his mind. "I know several knights left Laughing Stream when Ser Farman was made lord but who'd want Ser Jonothor dead other than the Starkwoods? Ser Jonothor hated Dorne since before I was a squire and it was only recently that he turned his vitriol to your kin. It seems very suspicious that it was only after Summerhall that he was murdered."Laena gives him a flat look, clearly unamused. "Lord Desmond, *and* Lord Bryce. Remember? The man who appointed a half-Dornishman his heir, who was poisoned using wine that someone from his household would know he favoured and would likely have easy access to? Now, I don't think Ser Jonothor *did* that task, but when it was done, I consider it very likely he decided to 'correct his Lord's mistake' since then he had to *serve* a half-Dornish Lord. Now, Lord Desmond didn't have any friends I'm aware of - I doubt he even understood the concept - but Ser Dagos at least had family who likely wouldn't let his death rest unanswered." "Maybe Lord Ulbert didn't have anything to do with it but that doesn't clear Ser Symon." He sighed as Laena slowly unraveled his theory on the culprit(s). "Even if you're sure Symon doesn't have the skill I wouldn't put it past him to seek out the most blunt object possible to kill one of his neighbor's more outspoken critics." Balon was convinced of this attack compared to the others. "Ser Eoric is a fine swordsman, a very good tactician, anti Dornish, and opposed peace between Starkwood and Blackbriar. On top of that the Dornish Daverhyls are trying to murder my cousins Lynesse and Kyle so they can claim Mustard Hall. Eliminating him is a win-win for both houses." "And how much influence did Ser Eoric have on Lady Erena's positions?" She asks rhetorically, while making a note of the relationships of House Daverhyl. "So, you're suggesting that Ser Symon - doing one of the few things which could actually *wreck* the current peace between the houses - was eloquent enough to persuade the Daverhyls to all risk their lives in exchange for ... what, exactly? You've just admitted straight-up that the Daverhyls had a strong motive all of their own to take out Ser Eoric. What does Ser Symon's inclusion add? He wasn't with them, he didn't help them in any way. You're suggesting he got something for nothing. Isn't it far more likely that the simplest explanation is the truth? Exactly as you said, the Daverhyls wish to remove an obstacle to their ambitions, so they did so. No Starkwood involvement necessary." Balon was defensive, "I'm making friends in equal measure." Thank the Seven she doesn't know about my private behavior. When she squeezed his hand he squeezed back. A small smile crept up on his lips, "I assure you I have no desire to be a pre, during, or post war fatality." "I'll try to moderate my behavior but in some ways the die has been cast. People know where I stand. Some will avoid me, some will come seeking my aid, and some might try to kill me. It's why I'm making friends and gaining allies. The more friendly eyes on my back the harder it'll be for someone to put a dagger in it."She nods. "I'm not asking you to demonstrate any flexibility in where you stand politically - as you say, that is firmly established. But the Redwyne's loyalty to Ser Daemon is also unquestioned, yet they are able to do so while maintaining a reputation of being paragons of chivalry." She holds up her free hand. "I'm not expecting that much of you, just pointing out that it is not an exclusive situation. For all their skill, and all their houses' power I do not rate Ser Otho and Ser Ulbert's chances of surviving the upcoming war as being particularly high. Your friends need to succeed every time; your enemies only need to succeed once."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Aug 16, 2019 7:31:29 GMT 1
Objective: Reveal any information Laena has on the deaths of Dickon, Jonothor, and Eoric(?) Disposition: Affectionate ID: 7 (11) Composure: 3/11 DR: 1 Frustration: 2/3 -4 ID (2 Frustration) 8 Influence - 1 DR - 6 (2 Frustration) = 1 DamageHonesty, R2, Persuasion (Convince) TN13: 3d6+4 16, 1 DoS3 Influence - 2 DR = 1 damage to Laena______________________________________________________________________________________________ "She may well *want* to. But she's at Starkwood right now. There's no way she could arrange all the events here from such a distance. And it's not like she could hire proxies - there has to be a world for there to be an underworld, and Starkwood has *nothing*. She may have the intent - *may* - but she definitely lacks the *capability*." Balon frowned. "She's not here but that doesn't mean her proxies aren't. Ser Trystane. Ser Davos. Her son." There was an obvious theme when he mentioned his suspects. "Starkwood might not have an *underworld* but other places do. Goldengrove. King's Landing. I'm sure there is no shortage of low-lives willing to kill for money." I should know."I mean precisely that. The man has the subtlety of a mammoth. There aren't that many people of a Rhyonish hue this far north, so he'd already attract attention. Were he to attempt to sneak around to accomplish nefarious goals, he'd be exposed long before the plan could go into effect. The *only* tool he has is precisely what he used - hitting them very hard in broad daylight, using the letter of the rules to violate its spirit." "He isn't subtle but he also isn't stupid. He knew he couldn't beat Ser Jonothor in a fair fight so why not hire assassins? Skin color doesn't matter as much in the Riverlands as it does in the Reach and the Stormlands. It's not that far fetched." Balon didn't seem so sure of himself as he said it. "So, let me get this right. You are suggesting that at Summerhall, *after* one of the guests had been brutally murdered by assassins, Ser Roland left his sword unattended long enough for someone to poison it? And he - a very diligent and talented knight - didn't carefully check and clean his weapon before the fight?" Her tone makes clear how plausible she thinks that idea. "As I said he is naive enough." Balon said matter of fact, "I don't doubt for a second someone who possessed a talent for deception could distract him long enough if need be. His reputation would make him the perfect patsy. Who'd think Ser Roland would debase himself in such a manner?""Alternatively, someone - who would have to have poison already in-hand, since I doubt they could acquire any at Summerhall - managed to climb all the way up to the maester's room - probably only a single staircase, though I admit I could be wrong there - without being noticed, enter a room full of people minding the patients without arousing suspicion, poison the man without anyone noticing in a way that would escape the suspicions of a maester, and then leave again still without being spotted." She shakes her head incredulously. "You're not after an assassin, you are describing the Stranger reborn." "It almost sounds as ridiculous as the second most powerful lord in the Reach being poisoned right in front of everyone at a feast." An obvious reference to Lord Jon Hightower's murder. "Five assassins killed Lady Ashara and tried to kill your sister. I wasn't there but you don't think people could've been lulled into a false sense of security after the assassins were killed?"When she talked about Laughing Stream Balon remained quiet. No sense in talking about it lest he say something he shouldn't. "And how much influence did Ser Eoric have on Lady Erena's positions?" She asks rhetorically, while making a note of the relationships of House Daverhyl. "So, you're suggesting that Ser Symon - doing one of the few things which could actually *wreck* the current peace between the houses - was eloquent enough to persuade the Daverhyls to all risk their lives in exchange for ... what, exactly? You've just admitted straight-up that the Daverhyls had a strong motive all of their own to take out Ser Eoric. What does Ser Symon's inclusion add? He wasn't with them, he didn't help them in any way. You're suggesting he got something for nothing. Isn't it far more likely that the simplest explanation is the truth? Exactly as you said, the Daverhyls wish to remove an obstacle to their ambitions, so they did so. No Starkwood involvement necessary." "It'd only wreck the peace if he was discovered and the Daverhyls would have no reason to make this known unless he failed to live up to his end of the bargain." Balon paused, "More likely he didn't realize what bargain he was making and opened up House Starkwood to blackmail." Balon shrugged, " As you claim he doesn't possess the skill or subtlety." Balon wasn't ready to give up the connection just yet. Your friends need to succeed every time; your enemies only need to succeed once." Balon let her words sink in. She was right. It only took one slip up for him to be one of the bodies among the many that would accumulate over the coming months. His shoulders slumped. "You're right. The chances of surviving for a lot of lords and knights is low. I want to survive. I have a good reason to." He took her hand and squeezed it. "I'm just trying to... move the pieces before this war starts off. Not only to help Ser Daemon win but put myself in a position to be rewarded. I want to give you a life you deserve. To give my family a better future. Does that make sense?
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 17, 2019 20:01:27 GMT 1
ID: 13 Composure: 9/11 DR: 2 Honesty - R3 - Influence - TN7: 6d6k4 19 3 DoS = 12-1 = 11 Composure damage, and victory. Objective: Their uncontrolled bigotry was to blame. You still have time to avoid their fate.
Balon frowned. "She's not here but that doesn't mean her proxies aren't. Ser Trystane. Ser Davos. Her son." There was an obvious theme when he mentioned his suspects. "Starkwood might not have an *underworld* but other places do. Goldengrove. King's Landing. I'm sure there is no shortage of low-lives willing to kill for money." I should know.She gently places a finger on his lips. "You are hearing, but you are not listening. To either of us. Why would a knight seek service at Starkwood? Of all places in the realm, why *there*? It's not rich, prestigious, or with a grand martial tradition." She gives him a moment to think before answering for him. "Honour. *That* is what draws knights. Those who seek honourable service - above wealth, above glory - can find it there. They are not the kind of people you draw into murderous conspiracies. "Think, Ser Balon. Why did you name those men, and not, say, Ser Mikel, or Maester Ronnel? You are again being *blinded* by your hatred of all things Dornish. That is what lies at the root of your antipathy and suspicion towards House Starkwood. You start with your conclusion, and work backwards from there to justify it. "Many a brave and skilled man on the battlefield has fallen foul of political games. To survive that battlefield requires you to see what *truly is*, not what you merely *wish to be*." Her hand moves and she lightly strokes his cheek. "If you cannot overcome this. If you cannot learn to put aside your wilful blindness, and embrace the pain of seeing the *truth*, I fear you will be used up and discarded by those you shouldn't trust, simply because they have the right skin colour and feed your hate." Her eyes glisten with unshed tears. "You said .. you promised that .. with different circumstances, with us closer, you could put your hate aside. What that a .. was that not true?" "He isn't subtle but he also isn't stupid. He knew he couldn't beat Ser Jonothor in a fair fight so why not hire assassins? Skin color doesn't matter as much in the Riverlands as it does in the Reach and the Stormlands. It's not that far fetched." Balon didn't seem so sure of himself as he said it. "Yes, it is." She says softly, but firmly. "And the fact that someone as anti-Dornish as you isn't absolutely certain of it proves that. If you have doubt, then any impartial man would laugh the entire idea off as ridiculous." "As I said he is naive enough." Balon said matter of fact, "I don't doubt for a second someone who possessed a talent for deception could distract him long enough if need be. His reputation would make him the perfect patsy. Who'd think Ser Roland would debase himself in such a manner?" "Never make the mistake of conflating 'naive' and 'stupid'." She warns. "It could be the last mistake you make. Ser Roland may be the former, but he is not the latter." "It almost sounds as ridiculous as the second most powerful lord in the Reach being poisoned right in front of everyone at a feast." An obvious reference to Lord Jon Hightower's murder. "Five assassins killed Lady Ashara and tried to kill your sister. I wasn't there but you don't think people could've been lulled into a false sense of security after the assassins were killed?" "So you are saying that you now believe the Starkwoods have access to assassins of the level to take on the *Hightowers*?! The Starkwoods?! Again, Ser: you have started with your conclusion and are making up whatever rationale is required to get there, irrespective of how plausible it is!" She squeezes his hand. "I know you hate the Dornish. I *know*! But Lady Allyria didn't violate guest right, and Ser Davos didn't break the truce of a peace banner. So long as you are focusing your attention on the wrong people for things they didn't do, you are blinding yourself to true threats from people who *will*." "It'd only wreck the peace if he was discovered and the Daverhyls would have no reason to make this known unless he failed to live up to his end of the bargain." Balon paused, "More likely he didn't realize what bargain he was making and opened up House Starkwood to blackmail." Balon shrugged, " As you claim he doesn't possess the skill or subtlety." Balon wasn't ready to give up the connection just yet. She gives him a flat look for a few moments, before holding up a finger before him. "Answer me one question. Think about it first. Then answer me, honestly. Truly honestly. "Would you be accusing Ser Symon if his mother were from the Reach?" Balon let her words sink in. She was right. It only took one slip up for him to be one of the bodies among the many that would accumulate over the coming months. His shoulders slumped. "You're right. The chances of surviving for a lot of lords and knights is low. I want to survive. I have a good reason to." He took her hand and squeezed it. "I'm just trying to... move the pieces before this war starts off. Not only to help Ser Daemon win but put myself in a position to be rewarded. I want to give you a life you deserve. To give my family a better future. Does that make sense?She smiles and squeezes his hand back. "It does. But you need to remember that to gain support, more will be promised than can be delivered, in the expectation that not all will live to collect. "The leaders, those you are so keen to support, have a great interest in their cause succeeding, but not only do they *not* have an interest in you surviving, their interests are actually served should you die, having served your purpose. Less hands outstretched, expecting rewards at the end is good for them. Perversely, the more you are owed, the more convenient it is for them should you die before you can collect. They value victory far above your life." She holds up a hand. "I'm not saying that you should be disloyal or anything, but you need to *understand*, to truly *see* that the only people who will fight for *you*, who will truly be on *your* side, and not *your faction's* side, those for whom there *is* no victory without you alive, is you ... and now me. Remember that. It may well save your life."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Aug 21, 2019 7:49:44 GMT 1
Balon is defeated. It's all a coincidence a bunch of anti-Dornish knights who bad-mouthed Ashara died in close proximity. __________________________________________________________________________________________ She gently places a finger on his lips. "You are hearing, but you are not listening. To either of us. Why would a knight seek service at Starkwood? Of all places in the realm, why *there*? It's not rich, prestigious, or with a grand martial tradition." She gives him a moment to think before answering for him. "Honor. *That* is what draws knights. Those who seek honorable service - above wealth, above glory - can find it there. They are not the kind of people you draw into murderous conspiracies. Balon couldn't argue with Laena. Why would someone like Ser Lyonel of the Cockleswhent serve at Starkwood if not for honor? As she said it certainly wasn't prestige or gold. There was still Ser Davos and Ser Trystane though it was possible his prejudice had got the better of him. Did they serve because of honor or because they were kin to Lady Allyria. Is Trystane related? Balon didn't know nor cared to ask he just assumed he was. He opened his mouth but didn't speak. There was Lady Ashara and her foul mouth but she was dead there was no way for her to be behind it. He closed his mouth and nodded to Laena's words. "Think, Ser Balon. Why did you name those men, and not, say, Ser Mikel, or Maester Ronnel? You are again being *blinded* by your hatred of all things Dornish. That is what lies at the root of your antipathy and suspicion towards House Starkwood. You start with your conclusion, and work backwards from there to justify it. "Many a brave and skilled man on the battlefield has fallen foul of political games. To survive that battlefield requires you to see what *truly is*, not what you merely *wish to be*." Balon realized the common denominator between his suspects and for the first time considered others within House Starkwood. "I guess it could have been Ser Mikel. After all he's just an upjumped commoner. He might not have the morality of a true noble." Balon thought back to the conversation he'd had with Mikel back in the Reach, "Though if I'm being honest I don't see him as the type to resort to assassination." Again Laena had pointed out the prejudice Balon had been blind to. Her hand moves and she lightly strokes his cheek. "If you cannot overcome this. If you cannot learn to put aside your willful blindness, and embrace the pain of seeing the *truth*, I fear you will be used up and discarded by those you shouldn't trust, simply because they have the right skin color and feed your hate." Her eyes glisten with unshed tears. "You said .. you promised that .. with different circumstances, with us closer, you could put your hate aside. What that a .. was that not true?" Balon was quick to respond, "I'm not lying to you." he said emphatically as he felt his heart sink seeing Laena's tears. "I promised I'd leave House Starkwood alone and I did in the melee," Of course his fight with the Daverhyls had ensured it. "and will continue to do so. My focus will be on more important things. Encouraging lords and knights to support Ser Daemon. Weakening the strongest supporters of the King. You.""Never make the mistake of conflating 'naive' and 'stupid'." She warns. "It could be the last mistake you make. Ser Roland may be the former, but he is not the latter." Balon was jealous of Roland for a variety of reasons but he knew he wasn't stupid. Still his jealousy tended to manifest itself in the form of pettiness, "Was it naivete or stupidity that led him to the Rutting Boar?""So you are saying that you now believe the Starkwoods have access to assassins of the level to take on the *Hightowers*?! The Starkwoods?! Again, Ser: you have started with your conclusion and are making up whatever rationale is required to get there, irrespective of how plausible it is!" She squeezes his hand. "I know you hate the Dornish. I *know*! But Lady Allyria didn't violate guest right, and Ser Davos didn't break the truce of a peace banner. So long as you are focusing your attention on the wrong people for things they didn't do, you are blinding yourself to true threats from people who *will*." She gives him a flat look for a few moments, before holding up a finger before him. "Answer me one question. Think about it first. Then answer me, honestly. Truly honestly. "Would you be accusing Ser Symon if his mother were from the Reach?" Balon exhaled and his shoulders slumped, "No." he said dejectedly. "But..." he didn't really have a but, "maybe Ser Eoric wouldn't have been attacked if Symon wasn't half-Dornish." As soon as Balon said it he knew how dumb it sounded. She smiles and squeezes his hand back. "It does. But you need to remember that to gain support, more will be promised than can be delivered, in the expectation that not all will live to collect. "The leaders, those you are so keen to support, have a great interest in their cause succeeding, but not only do they *not* have an interest in you surviving, their interests are actually served should you die, having served your purpose. Less hands outstretched, expecting rewards at the end is good for them. Perversely, the more you are owed, the more convenient it is for them should you die before you can collect. They value victory far above your life." She holds up a hand. "I'm not saying that you should be disloyal or anything, but you need to *understand*, to truly *see* that the only people who will fight for *you*, who will truly be on *your* side, and not *your faction's* side, those for whom there *is* no victory without you alive, is you ... and now me. Remember that. It may well save your life." Balon pursed his lips. He agreed to an extent. There was a distinct possibility there were more hands than rewards but he planned to be indispensable. "I know you don't know Lord Gormon but I don't believe he sees me that way. Fireball too. But I also know they don't feel about me the way you do." A bit of happiness returned to Balon when Laena mentioned no victory without him. "I won't forget." He took her hand and kissed it. "I know we're not married but I'm still trying to make decisions as if we were."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 21, 2019 15:22:55 GMT 1
Balon realized the common denominator between his suspects and for the first time considered others within House Starkwood. "I guess it could have been Ser Mikel. After all he's just an upjumped commoner. He might not have the morality of a true noble." Balon thought back to the conversation he'd had with Mikel back in the Reach, "Though if I'm being honest I don't see him as the type to resort to assassination." Again Laena had pointed out the prejudice Balon had been blind to. Laena shakes her head with a slightly amused, slightly exasperated smile. "It wasn't either of them. Ser Mikel, as you say, isn't the type, and Ronnel is too closed-off and distant to care enough. The *point* of what I was saying was simply to force you to acknowledge the *root* of your suspicions, which was nothing to do with how *likely* the scenario was." Balon was quick to respond, "I'm not lying to you." he said emphatically as he felt his heart sink seeing Laena's tears. "I promised I'd leave House Starkwood alone and I did in the melee," Of course his fight with the Daverhyls had ensured it. "and will continue to do so. My focus will be on more important things. Encouraging lords and knights to support Ser Daemon. Weakening the strongest supporters of the King. You."A small smile and nod of acknowledgement. "Good. But you also said something along the lines of not being obsessed over the Dornish once you had me" It turned briefly into a smirk "to obsess over in their place, presumably. To avoid a house in the melee is something largely in control of your conscious mind, so it's not something I particularly doubted. It's your ability to bury your deep-rooted hatreds I always feared you would have more difficulty over, and you are not giving me a lot of confidence, there." Balon was jealous of Roland for a variety of reasons but he knew he wasn't stupid. Still his jealousy tended to manifest itself in the form of pettiness, "Was it naivete or stupidity that led him to the Rutting Boar?"She raises an eyebrow archly. "I'm not sure. What was it for you?" From her tone, she's not seriously expecting a response, merely making a point. She sighs. "Men have needs, and he is betrothed, not married. I can only imagine that his options to have his needs met were to seduce some serving girl, dishonour his betrothed by claiming her early, or pay a harlot to have the matter settled professionally." Her mind again goes back to her meeting with Malyk at the Tear, and learning of his time spent infiltrating a brothel. "It was probably the best way. He's a knight, not a saint." She gives him a flat look for a few moments, before holding up a finger before him. "Answer me one question. Think about it first. Then answer me, honestly. Truly honestly. "Would you be accusing Ser Symon if his mother were from the Reach?" Balon exhaled and his shoulders slumped, "No." he said dejectedly. "But..." he didn't really have a but, "maybe Ser Eoric wouldn't have been attacked if Symon wasn't half-Dornish." As soon as Balon said it he knew how dumb it sounded. Laena lowers her chin to stare up at Balon, passing silent judgement on his words for a good few moments before she finally responds. "I'm not even going to justify that with a response. In the future, whenever you're going to respond to something without thinking about it first, think back to what you just said, how stupid it sounded. Then use that as motivation to remember to think first, *then* speak. Words spoken in haste are words spoken from the heart. Honest words. Dangerous words. Guard your heart carefully, for it is *mine*, and I do not enjoy having my possessions thrown about carelessly in public." Balon pursed his lips. He agreed to an extent. There was a distinct possibility there were more hands than rewards but he planned to be indispensable. "I know you don't know Lord Gormon but I don't believe he sees me that way. Fireball too. But I also know they don't feel about me the way you do." A bit of happiness returned to Balon when Laena mentioned no victory without him. "I won't forget." He took her hand and kissed it. "I know we're not married but I'm still trying to make decisions as if we were.""Leaders understand there is a difference between want and need. And are willing to sacrifice wants to accomplish a need. I fully believe both Lord Gorman and Fireball *want* you to survive. But they *need* their revolution to succeed." She leaves the thought there for him to finish. "One day, I intend for you, too, to instinctively think that way." She smiles. "As a leader."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Aug 22, 2019 20:51:29 GMT 1
Laena shakes her head with a slightly amused, slightly exasperated smile. "It wasn't either of them. Ser Mikel, as you say, isn't the type, and Ronnel is too closed-off and distant to care enough. The *point* of what I was saying was simply to force you to acknowledge the *root* of your suspicions, which was nothing to do with how *likely* the scenario was." Balon stared off into the distance as he tried to decide who was at fault. Turning back to her he conceded, "I guess... I guess I'll have to do some *actual* investigating before laying blame where it doesn't belong." He sucked air through his teeth, then laughed bitterly, "For fucks sake my next suspects are Dornish. The Manwoodys for Ser Jonothor and the Daverhyls for Ser Eoric." This is me shoehorning my event choice for Good Day for the Crows "It's *possible* the Manwoodys chose the most obvious target for their revenge and waited for the right time to have assassins strike." he mused. "As for the Daverhyls their guilt is obvious as I watched them do it." Balon rubbed his bruised shoulder. "Their tactics made no sense at first but in hindsight their objective was clear. Kill Ser Eoric." Balon added almost off-handedly, "I'll have to find a way to kill them without getting my head put on a spike." When he realized what he said he clarified, "Pardon me, I'm fantasizing. They're also trying to kill my cousins Lady Lynesse and Kyle so it's not just about Ser Eoric." A small smile and nod of acknowledgement. "Good. But you also said something along the lines of not being obsessed over the Dornish once you had me" It turned briefly into a smirk "to obsess over in their place, presumably. To avoid a house in the melee is something largely in control of your conscious mind, so it's not something I particularly doubted. It's your ability to bury your deep-rooted hatreds I always feared you would have more difficulty over, and you are not giving me a lot of confidence, there." Balon sheepishly smiled, "I working on it. You're a much better obsession." He gave her a wink. She raises an eyebrow archly. "I'm not sure. What was it for you?" From her tone, she's not seriously expecting a response, merely making a point. She sighs. "Men have needs, and he is betrothed, not married. I can only imagine that his options to have his needs met were to seduce some serving girl, dishonour his betrothed by claiming her early, or pay a harlot to have the matter settled professionally." Her mind again goes back to her meeting with Malyk at the Tear, and learning of his time spent infiltrating a brothel. "It was probably the best way. He's a knight, not a saint." He opened his mouth to answer but paused. How do I tell her I wanted a whore that looked like you? And it was because of that whore that I remembered us fucking at the Golden Rose? "I wasn't betrothed with Lord Leo's personal consent. Regardless I don't plan on stepping foot in one again. I have something infinitely better."
"Wait, are you suggesting I'm dishoroing you as I've claimed you," a proud smile crept up on his face, "quite forcefully before our wedding?"Laena lowers her chin to stare up at Balon, passing silent judgement on his words for a good few moments before she finally responds. "I'm not even going to justify that with a response. In the future, whenever you're going to respond to something without thinking about it first, think back to what you just said, how stupid it sounded. Then use that as motivation to remember to think first, *then* speak. Words spoken in haste are words spoken from the heart. Honest words. Dangerous words. Guard your heart carefully, for it is *mine*, and I do not enjoy having my possessions thrown about carelessly in public." Laena had a gift to make he feel bad and good at the same time. He didn't like her scolding but was overjoyed to hear her say his heart was hers. "As you wish.""Leaders understand there is a difference between want and need. And are willing to sacrifice wants to accomplish a need. I fully believe both Lord Gorman and Fireball *want* you to survive. But they *need* their revolution to succeed." She leaves the thought there for him to finish. "One day, I intend for you, too, to instinctively think that way." She smiles. "As a leader." "I want to be a leader and I think the Riverlands may give me a chance to prove it." Balon leaned in to talk quieter and switched to High Valyrian, "Fighting *will* break out between the Brackens and Blackwoods. It's almost guaranteed. I want to recruit knights and soldiers to fight for the Brackens. With luck I'll lead them to victory. They won't look at me as a loud-mouthed swordsmen but an authoritative figure to be respected and feared in equal measure."More shoehorning for the River Runs Red.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 23, 2019 15:43:30 GMT 1
Balon stared off into the distance as he tried to decide who was at fault. Turning back to her he conceded, "I guess... I guess I'll have to do some *actual* investigating before laying blame where it doesn't belong." He sucked air through his teeth, then laughed bitterly, "For fucks sake my next suspects are Dornish. The Manwoodys for Ser Jonothor and the Daverhyls for Ser Eoric." Laena smiles and holds up a finger. "But in those cases, if they weren't Dornish, you could still point at evidence supporting your case. *That* is the difference. Just because the Dornish reputation isn't always true, doesn't mean it's always false. As it happens, my suspicions fall along similar lines. I will not condemn you for accusing Dornish of wrongdoing. Only for doing so where the *only* evidence you can cite is that they are Dornish." "I'll have to find a way to kill them without getting my head put on a spike." When he realized what he said he clarified, "Pardon me, I'm fantasizing. They're also trying to kill my cousins Lady Lynesse and Kyle so it's not just about Ser Eoric." Laena smiles, and pats his chest. "Of course. Rest assured, I am fully familiar that there is a firm line between idle fantasy and action, and there is little to no connection between the two." "Wait, are you suggesting I'm dishonoring you as I've claimed you," a proud smile crept up on his face, "quite forcefully before our wedding?" Laena rolls her eyes slightly. "In as as much as a childed widow has any honour, yes. But honour, like many things, only matters inasmuch as is publicly known. I am trusting you to keep biting your tongue when needed, until such things can be done honourably." "I want to be a leader and I think the Riverlands may give me a chance to prove it." Balon leaned in to talk quieter and switched to High Valyrian, "Fighting *will* break out between the Brackens and Blackwoods. It's almost guaranteed. I want to recruit knights and soldiers to fight for the Brackens. With luck I'll lead them to victory. They won't look at me as a loud-mouthed swordsmen but an authoritative figure to be respected and feared in equal measure." Laena considers this a few moments with a smile. "There's no substitute for experience. War can make men, or break men, depending on their mettle. I look forward to seeing what kind of man walks out of it." [-I think we've covered everything we need to? Happy to call /scene if there's nothing else you wish to raise.]
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Aug 26, 2019 6:10:25 GMT 1
Laena smiles and holds up a finger. "But in those cases, if they weren't Dornish, you could still point at evidence supporting your case. *That* is the difference. Just because the Dornish reputation isn't always true, doesn't mean it's always false. As it happens, my suspicions fall along similar lines. I will not condemn you for accusing Dornish of wrongdoing. Only for doing so where the *only* evidence you can cite is that they are Dornish." Laena rolls her eyes slightly. "In as as much as a childed widow has any honor, yes. But honor, like many things, only matters inasmuch as is publicly known. I am trusting you to keep biting your tongue when needed, until such things can be done honorably." Laena considers this a few moments with a smile. "There's no substitute for experience. War can make men, or break men, depending on their mettle. I look forward to seeing what kind of man walks out of it." [-I think we've covered everything we need to? Happy to call /scene if there's nothing else you wish to raise.] "Guilt matters more than skin color? How odd." Balon gave Laena a sly grin before turning more serious. "If it turns out the Manwoodys were behind Ser Jonothor's death Lord Farman will respond. As to how he'll respond I don't know but it might not hurt to offer my assistance. A lord's gratitude is never a bad thing." The blunt way of handling things was Balon's preferred method but only time would tell if anything came to a head between House Bridges and Manwoody. Balon tsked, lightly teasing her, "Oh please, stop pretending you aren't dripping with honor." He patted her thigh gently, "As much as I'd enjoy rubbing our relationship in the faces of all the knights who think I'm a blackguard we shall remain a secret. Speaking of that," Balon paused and took her hand in his, "I heard Lord Gormon will be having a hunt and feast in the near future. I hope you'll attend... not just because Whitegrove has a lot of secluded places," he gave her an eye waggle, "but because I'd like you to meet my mother. As you want me to get along with your brother I'd like you to introduce yourself to Lady Shiera. She's a bit more prickly than Ser Aerion but I think you two have more in common than you realize." "When I return you'll see someone that you not only love but you'll be proud of."[Feel free to respond if you want then we can call it a /scene]
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 26, 2019 10:36:00 GMT 1
"I have met your mother, actually, briefly. When I had a picnic with your father." She fidgets slightly. "I will do my best to play nice, but I won't roll over for her." She warns. "If she tries to force submission, it will not go well for her.
"But you can count on my attendance."
[/scene, unless you want to respond to that]
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