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Post by Trystane Sand on Oct 11, 2019 2:51:27 GMT 1
"I'm afraid I don't share your optimism, but in the absence of any better lead, I have no objection."
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Oct 11, 2019 19:48:55 GMT 1
After a night of rest in a carefully selected campsite- as carefully as the dark allowed for selection- with a watch kept, they proceeded to the village the woman they were hoping to learn of had come from. Taking time to track down her parents, friends, and anybody who might have known her or could have heard something Mikel is looking to discover if she was taken to Lord Mandrake's Castle, and if she was done so and also remains there by her own choice. Mikel especially careful to weight the opinions he receives, parents might be more able to see if she wanted to serve at the castle where as a broken hearted lover believes that she was taken and had no choice.
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Post by Father on Oct 14, 2019 17:41:57 GMT 1
The story that Mikel had first been told is the same as the smallfolk has to sing, as far as the knights can piece together, Lord Mandrake must have taken a liking to her when passing through on a survey of his domains, for soon after some of his men came to insist that she should take up service at the castle, one does not resist even though she voiced protest. She went with them, all the same, they have not heard from her since. Though it is hardly unusual that young and pretty girls were selected to serve at their table, and it is normally a better life than in the fields, this sounds a lot more like how King Aegon IV would have it arranged for one such to be washed and brought to his bed.
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Post by Trystane Sand on Oct 15, 2019 0:36:23 GMT 1
"What do you think, lads? Trystane asks Mikel & Roland. "I'm starting to think we might need to make a more direct approach."
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Oct 17, 2019 21:19:56 GMT 1
"Seems like it though I wish there was another way. The three of us walking in might be the last anyone see's us, if Lord Mandrake wills it so. We need to consider an offer for her, or some reason it would be in his best interest not to kill us and to let us leave with her. Ideas?"
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Post by Trystane Sand on Oct 22, 2019 1:35:27 GMT 1
Trystane puffed through his cheeks as he pondered, no great ideas leaping to mind.
"Perhaps if he could have his head turned by someone else?"
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Oct 29, 2019 3:54:13 GMT 1
"A whore who wanted better living understood and agreed with what she was getting into? An idea with merit but at the same time I would rather not." Mikel rubbed his face and sighed then looked back up at Trystane. "Your.. Blood might prove to matter most here. I doubt the Riverlands care much for the politics of the Reach but your blood is something Lord Mandrake must consider. Perhaps that is where we start. So next, why are we here and why do we care?"
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Post by Trystane Sand on Oct 29, 2019 23:05:06 GMT 1
"Hmm, if it is a request from me in my capacity as a Great Bastard, I could, to an extent, say that the why is my business, but I could offer him gold or a favour in exchange for her return. I don't think trying to claim my own personal interest would work, since she has never so much as laid eyes on me, nor I on her. Whether or not the true reason of restoring her to her husband would sway him at all is a matter for his own scruples. If he is a pious man, we could lean on that, the restoring of a holy covenant, but I doubt a man that would steal another's wife is pious."
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Oct 31, 2019 8:31:24 GMT 1
Mikel's eyes flashed. "Piety. I recall when we tried to learn about him at Whitewalls we heard that he had a reputation for piety. Perhaps some leverage there? We could speak to the village septon to see what he knows. Then take it from there. It might fit in well with, if you will allow it, a young dragon on errantry as he explores the Kingdoms."
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Post by Trystane Sand on Nov 5, 2019 23:01:39 GMT 1
"That sounds like a decent avenue to investigate. Pay a visit to the Septon and see if he has any insight."
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Nov 15, 2019 17:36:25 GMT 1
Deciding to continue in their efforts of gathering information the next stop is the local Sept for a conversation with the Septon. They speak respectfully with him begin with pleasantries, hoping to soften him up before moving into the reason for their visit. They ask about the young women who was taken, careful not to offer what they know until he answers or unless they must. What is like to be her fate? How often are young women subjected to this? What else happens like this? Do other nearby villages suffer such?
Once the subject is broken into they offer that they heard of this in Whitewalls. Lord Mandrake is known as a pious man, so the next question is if the fate knows about his tendencies? In closing, are the women ever released of their position and if so how might one procure that end?
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Post by Father on Nov 26, 2019 15:36:06 GMT 1
Hmmm, let's call that a knowledge (Streetwise).
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Nov 30, 2019 7:06:36 GMT 1
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Post by Father on Dec 2, 2019 16:00:37 GMT 1
Through discussions with the septon and others, it is not entirely clear what to make of it. Lord Jarmen without of doubt likes to have fair looking serving girls and the men who sometimes are sent out to find new ones does not take no for an answer, though no girl refused strongly enough to truly put any theory of tyranny to the test. The girl in question was certainly highly reluctant and pleaded and protested, but went along anyway, out of fear, surely. It is also believed that Lord Jarmen considers it his right as a lord to bed his serving girls, though the septon have heard nothing suggesting that he ever forced himself on anyone. But lords with their power often does not have to, he notes. He once served at Maidenpool as a novice, and old Lord Mooton was evidently oblivious to the fact that others dare not refuse him that he thought it all freely given when Septon Robert confronted him about his behavior. Old Lord Mooton did not listen though, and none of the servants would later divulge which of them had killed him in his sleep. The septon only makes a cursory attempt at denouncing murder as a vile sin.
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Post by Trystane Sand on Dec 3, 2019 19:10:01 GMT 1
[ooc - would it be permissible for Trystane to also roll?]
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