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Post by Robyn Redwolf on Sept 21, 2019 19:56:56 GMT 1
Robyn starts riding, pounding his way through the forest, trying to gain as much distance as he can. But he has pushed himself so hard, and this horse is not wanting to carry two riders as smoothly as Robyn would hope. He notices that one of the riders is gaining on them, and fast. If only there was a way to make it though.... too late now, have to focus on keeping the Lady Falyse safe.
So, just to make sure, I am rolling with 3 points of fatigue, which is not a fun thing to be dealing with. Chase Scene, 3 Fatigue: 5#6d6k3-2 14 8 14 15 14
Rerolling for Second ride, trying to get better than 3: 1d6 1 Welp, guess not.
So we enter combat?
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Post by Father on Sept 21, 2019 20:11:15 GMT 1
Mmm, I believe you only have 2 fatigue, you took 1 before the last combat round, where you took 1 fatigue for a lesser action so you could sprint after attacking, no?
With +2b in ride, you might as well just roll 7 dices as if you had +3b with talented as you always would use it on a die you won't be keeping anyway.
Comparing against second hedge knight: R1: He wins, regardless of reroll/fatigue. R2: He wins, regardless of fatigue with that reroll. R3: You win R4: You would win with 2 fatigue or your reroll turns up a 6. R5: You win.
So by my count, you're getting away.
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Post by Robyn Redwolf on Sept 21, 2019 20:19:09 GMT 1
Oh! I guess I must have miscounted! So sweet, I’m getting away then?
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Post by Father on Sept 21, 2019 23:58:38 GMT 1
That seems as close a call as any, they are almost overtaken, almost. In the end they lose sight of their pursuers and make as good a pace as Robyn dares to coax out of the horse, it had taken half a day or so of travel from Bitterbridge, but that was with a wagon without any hurry, getting back to the promised safety of a castle takes much less time. Falyse remains quiet, hardly responding to anything that might be said to her, though by the way she clings tightly to Robyn, he could be forgiven for thinking that there is more to her grip than the fear and trauma she just endured along with the realization that her parents and brother are most likely dead, even if she may not have allowed herself to accept it.
Robyn knows that he is supposed to tell Lord Caswell what happened, though considering the size of his household, he might have to convince the guards at the gate, then one of Lord Armond's knights and then the lord might see him, or not. Although no lord could possibly just ignore what just happened on his lands?
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Post by Robyn Redwolf on Sept 22, 2019 0:22:47 GMT 1
Robyn is quiet on the ride, not wanting to disturb the silence that came with the overwhelming fear that is set itself in from the carnage they both endured. But, he knows that he has to explain himself to... to... who is going to believe him? He is a squire, and worse, he is a failure. He didn't save his Lord, in fact, he let him die right beside him. The only thing he managed to do was steal a horse, kill two bandits and... Save Falyse. Robyn didn't save his lord, nor the lady or his brother at arms but... Falyse is real. The grip that she holds him with is real. And the loss she is slowly feeling is real. Robyn knows that if anyone is going through loss... it is her, and anyone who says otherwise will face a rage that is unbecoming of a knight.
He pushes the horse as hard as it will go, hoping to arrive as quickly as possible. In the distance, he sees his destination. "We are close my lady, we are almost safe," his tone is as soft as he can manage between breaths, doing the best he can to ease her worry and pain.
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Post by Father on Sept 22, 2019 14:27:53 GMT 1
Bitterbridge has a modest castle of wood and stone, the low and flat land makes the keep seems taller than it is. With Lord Caswell's lands, one would expect a grander seat, but those having studied their history would know that Bitterbridge had been destroyed by Tessarion during the dance and the old keep torn down in vengeance for a dead prince. At the gates, the guards demands that they state their business as guards usually do.
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Post by Robyn Redwolf on Sept 22, 2019 14:40:04 GMT 1
Robyn pulls his horse to a stop, though he does not like to. He wants to be behind the walls, somewhere safe, where no one has a chance to follow them. As the guards speak, he goes stern, putting on an aura of authority and reputation. He is still a kid, after all, he has to be taken seriously, otherwise things will go very poorly. He chooses his words as carefully as possible, trying not to re open wounds that are slowly healing, "My name is Robyn Starkwood, squire to Lord Blackbar. This is Lady Falyse Blackbar, and we seek counsel with Lord Caswell to inform him of... dangers on his lands. We were attacked on the road and seek refuge," He also doesn't know the protocol of what to say to guards necessarily, and words are not something that comes easy to him.
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Post by Father on Sept 22, 2019 23:16:43 GMT 1
"By that he means that Lord Blackbar was ambushed on the road" Falyse breaks her silence with a sharp comment, more accustomed to getting commoners to do as she likes. The sergeant at the gate quickly decides to shout for a Ser Kyle, obviously handing over all responsibility of what to do. The knight's gait has no urgency in it, agony for the impatient. The question of what's going on feels like having to explain everything once more. Falyse composure: 4d6 17Oh, yes.
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Post by Robyn Redwolf on Sept 22, 2019 23:39:51 GMT 1
As she speaks, Robyn straightens up in the saddle, staring down the knight that seems to not understand the urgency that comes with the situation. His grip tightens on the reigns, and if it wasn't for protocol, he would ride straight to where Lord Caswell is and tell him straight out what happened. His voice changes again, attempting to match that of Falyse's, "We need to speak to your lord immediately. We have already informed you that Lord Blackbar was ambushed on the road, and you stopping us at the gate and asking redundant questions is opening wounds not yet healed. Now, please, take us to Lord Caswell or I will find him with or without your help,"
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Post by Father on Sept 23, 2019 15:34:32 GMT 1
It doesn't take too long to be ushered into Lord Caswell's solar once the sargeant at the gate is relieved of his fear of doing anything wrong, at least Lord Caswell does recognize Lady Falyse and need no convincing to believe the tale, then pointedly ask about the size of the force and what weapons they used.
Awareness (Notice) TN 9 Cunning (Memory) TN 9 The 92% accurate answer is three dozen men, 3 of them armed knights, the rest mostly dangerous in great numbers and against those taken by surprise and lightly armed. 1=Overestimation: 1d2 1So in terms of DoS scored: 4+: Robyn remembers the above. Less than 4 DoS: Robyn's memory adds a dozen mooks. Per simple failure: Robyn's memory adds another knight. Critical failure(s): Even the footlings must have been clad in steel.
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Post by Robyn Redwolf on Sept 23, 2019 15:56:01 GMT 1
Robyn is certainly frazzled still, from all the riding and carnage that he had to endure. To be honest, he didn't get a good look at the full force of the ambush, the only thing he remembers is arrows flying in, three men on horseback, and the heraldry on the shield, considering that he was up close and quite personal with it. He speaks plainly, giving as much information as he can recall, " My lord, there were nearly 4 dozen men that were lightly armed, couldn't have been too experienced of fighters. There were lead by three men on horseback, carrying a crest that I do not remember the house of. But I could describe it in detail, and would recognize it in a second." Awareness Check to Remember Ambush army: 5d6k4 18 2 DoS
Cunning Memory test to remember the army size: 3d6 10 1DoS
3 DoS total
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Post by Father on Sept 23, 2019 16:15:36 GMT 1
Lord Caswell listens patiently as does his master at arms and captain of the guards who are summoned and Robyn must give his account again for in full even though they were present fot the important parts of it, Lord Caswell makes note of the green hand but cares not to comment on it, neither does his knight, as if this is something everyone naturally knows, though he appears to recognize the symbol at once. He orders Robyn and Falyse to be brought to the maester for examination, and for Robyn to be brought to the yard if the maester does not protest more than usual about him riding out again. Dismissing them with a wave of his hand before ordering the captain of the guard to prepare his men.
Efficient, but most men would probably show a little bit more understanding and empathy considering the nightmare the two had just escaped.
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Post by Robyn Redwolf on Sept 23, 2019 17:24:57 GMT 1
As they leave, making sure that no one else was around, Robyn would turn to Falyse, quickly lowering himself to a kneeling position, head bowed as he speaks, "Lady Falyse, I would like to formally apologize for letting you and your family down. I wish I could have done more in the moment, and all I can do is think of the many ways I should have handled the situation." He looks up at her, attempting to control his emotions as he speaks, "But I promise you, I will not rest until these monsters that attacked your house are thoroughly taken care of. Nothing will stop me from carrying out the justice that they deserve,"
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Post by Father on Sept 23, 2019 21:00:42 GMT 1
Falyse merely nods, whether it's shock or grief that makes the words stuck in her throat is hard to say, the shake of her head probably means something like it wasn't his fault, probably.
As the maester grumblingly cannot argue that Robyn's scratches demands rest, staying is apparently not an option, they will need him to point out where to go, even if they probably know which way leads to Blackbar lands. Two dozen men in all, knights, men at arms, mounted crossbowmen, and not counting the scouts that the master of the hunt are sending out. If this was a rescue mission, it's progress is agonizingly slow. Lord Caswell appears more concerned with not being ambushed themselves than getting there in time to save anyone. Logic would suggest that if anyone remained alive up ahead, it would be because the villains did not care to finish them off. Besides, the rain of arrows shouldn't be as much of a threat to men clad in the sort of mailed hauberks that Robyn had been given to wear, and Lord Caswell and his knights wears plate. And the horses are draped with thick leather, covered by metal scales in the case of Lord Caswell's fine courser. Every now and then, the entire group stops while the scouts makes sure that there is no ambush ahead, apparently knowing where the risk of such is greatest.
The sun is low in the sky by the time the party arrives at the scene of the carnage, for the most part, it would appear that the dead are left where they fell, with quick thrusts of mercy being given to those alive. Even Lord Blackbar has simply been left where Robyn saw him fall down, though partially disrobed, the assailants having looted all of value which they could carry with them, including everyone's boots, and left their own dead same as those they slain. There are three appalling exceptions though, one of Lady Falyse's handmaids, a local girl of the commons named Jeyne, pretty Jeyne everyone called her, with her blonde curls and big blue eyes, apparently she must have been saved from the arrows only to suffer a worse fate. The other handmaids are all left for dead where they were caught in the wagons, arrows having given them The Stranger's mercy, not so Jeyne, she is found besides the road, with her throat slit and her tunic ripped to shreds halfway between the wagon she was dragged from and the wayside she was left in to rot, her final moments surely the stuff of nightmares.
Ser Zachary, thankfully, was probably beaten to death before they inflicted other horrors, his member and genitals have been cut off and into his mouth, and he hangs by his hands which have been nailed to a tree. There are no words, though, to describe what Lady Zia must have been going through in her final moments. The dried blood that has flowed down her arms very must suggests that she was alive when she was nailed to the opposite tree, one can only hope that such monsters would not have taken their pleasure with her as they surely have with Jenny, but the discovery of her travelling clothes, ripped to pieces is evidence to the contrary, and it hardly seems beyond their capacity for cruelty to mutilate the body of her son while she were watching. What appears to have killed her is the nails fastening a wooden sign to her shoulders, "Dornish Whore" is painted on it, with Ser Zachery having given the same treatment, but his sign says "Half-Breed". The realization of how close Robyn and Falyse was to face the same fate is not likely slow in the following.
A crossbowman leans against a tree and spills what remains of his latest meal on the forest floor. Lord Caswell grimaces with revulsion, and needs a moment to compose himself, giving orders to cover up the bodies of Lord Blackbar and his family, and prepare them for transport back to Bitterbridge and the silent sisters as dignified as can be, the rest of the corpses to be loaded up on the other wagon, everyone deserves a proper passing with a septon giving their last sermon in the house of The Seven. The scouts have already been given orders to see if they cannot track the blackguards. Lord Caswell's last order is to get a fire going as he wants to see the signs burnt to ash. He looks around, almost lost in thought, muttering something about naturally they took the sword and glancing at Robyn before closing Lord Blackmont's eyes. Then getting out of the way to stand in silence and grimly watch as his men gets to work.
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Post by Robyn Redwolf on Sept 23, 2019 21:33:51 GMT 1
After a while, a slight ringing begins to echo in Robyn's mind as he stands amongst the scene, unable to process the atrocities that come with war. His eyes wandering slowly around the field before he slumps down to his knees, letting out one long, pain filled cry. These... These will not be forgotten, staying in the front of his thoughts as he looks up at the sky. Memories of the last four years come flooding in, sparing with Zachary, learning about tournaments together, looking up to him as a source of encouragement and idolization. He didn't deserve that fate.
Lady Zia's corpse haunts him more though. He could have saved her too, right? There was time, if only he had stood his ground and fought them... She was loved deeply by Lord Blackbar, and often times he would make reference to her during the day, between studying all the many things Robyn was forced to learn. To see her like this is cause for so much unbridled rage. He wonders to himself if a fate similar to this for the men responsible was too kind a death, and if he commit such atrocities against them, would that go against everything he had been studying for, learning to become?
He looks at Lord Caswell, struggling to stand up as he speaks, each word holding back tears, "My lord, what now? They wont get away with this... ive promised... Falyse," He starts to cry now, barely able to take in breath but still standing strong, his fists causing the leather to creak around his fingers.
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