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Post by Laena Pyre on Jun 27, 2020 18:26:07 GMT 1
Falyse - Audience Roll: 7d6k5+7 30 Yup, that's a pass. Given her firm support of the lady in her regency contest, Laena had no trouble receiving an audience with Lady Falyse, despite how busy she was, reasonably swiftly after Laena's meeting with Rhaegor. After exchanging pleasantries, once it wouldn't be too foward, Laena decided to jump straight to the matter at hand. "I think we are all aware that, despite the valiant efforts of many noble souls, war is coming. By now, it is .. inevitable. Fortunately, while we have a surplus of what many call 'dragons'," a wry smile, given that includes herself, "we are entirely lacking the fire-breathing kind, so it is likely that this war will be nowhere near as damaging as the Dance was. However, it will still cause plenty of carnage. Not just during, but before and likely after, as well. "Some of us who are not warriors see it as our duty to the realm to do what we can to minimise this damage, to ensure the realm comes out of the whole sorry affair as strong as it can. And it is to that end that I wanted to speak with you today. "We have already seen one regency challenge resolved - the Bridges'. I fear that may prove something of a precedent. When you win your regency challenge, you will be a voice in settling the Hightower regency. I fear that whichever of the four candidates currently standing wins, it will merely provoke bloodshed, and tear one of the most powerful houses in the Reach apart. "As such, I would like for you to put your voice behind a candidate from outside the house. A compromise candidate, who none of them will be happy with, but all can begrudgingly accept. A man with both extensive experience with the court in question, and the political wit and cunning to avoid attempts to re-open the challenge with blade or poison. "I wish for you to support Lord Lothor Mullendore for the Hightower regency." 6 Impossible Things - Pre-Intrigue - Status (Breeding): 9d6k6+1 31+1D from Courteous, +1 from Charismatic (Note that I think she's on +3 to start - +2 from public endorsement, +1 from Courteous) 6 Impossible Things - Initiative: 7d6k5 23 (24 if Charismatic is applicable) Objective (Deceptive Convince): Support Lothor in the Hightower regency ID: 13 DR: 4 (Indifferent) - unless modified by Benefits Composure: 11/11 (I keep forgetting that Inept reduces derived statistics, but I remembered this time)
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Post by Father on Jul 1, 2020 12:34:56 GMT 1
"A more able candidate than most" Falyse agrees dispassionately, her recent misfortunes clearly having hardened her view of the world, a cynic having gained years of experience in just as many months, although probably still fragile, but who knows? The young lady does not show it, so either she is hiding it, or she has found an inner strength that might be terrifying if she has the mind to wield it well. "Though I wonder, where might a lady from the other end of The Reach find the notion that Lord Mullendore might be a fifth alternative when none in Oldtown speak of him as an option?"
She's attractive which might affect Laena's disposition, she also has stubborn which takes some of the edge off that monster roll. Inept would, strictly speaking, also affect influence dealt by convince. Iniative, Breeding: 4d6 12 6d6k4 22After Laena, looks like a 2 DoS vs Laena's passive will for an effective +4 disposition for calculating DR. Objective: Since Laena already supported her, I think she'll just go with charm. ID: 13 DR: 3 (amiable) Composure: 12/12
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Post by Laena Pyre on Jul 2, 2020 21:35:44 GMT 1
"I cannot claim any great genius with the idea. Once one has come to the conclusion that none of the four currently standing would have a good outcome for the realm, looking to those with a good reputation and good experience in that court is simply the next logical place to look for a candidate. "If I might address my inference of my lady's implied true question, though: I have not spoken with Lord Lothor about this idea at all. Deliberately so. If I had, then it becomes a question of trading how much support for how much favour, and the whole thing becomes about *me*, rather than the realm. I certainly *do* intend to receive any gratitude he may have at the end of it all - I am not *so* selfless - but the primary beneficiary I am focused on is the realm. Concrete personal benefit would only .. distract me from that goal." She gives a small half-shrug. "Though, of course, you only have my word for that, and while I believe we have a mutual acquaintance in my cousin Ser Robyn Starkwood, he barely knows me now, let alone when he was with your house, so I very much doubt he has spoken of me to you."
[Note: With Father's kind permission, since I had no idea about that last impact of Inept (Will), and have been violating it since day 1, I have temporarily replaced it with another drawback that wouldn't have impacted events this phase, until the end of the phase and I can sort things out properly without worrying about time paradoxes.] Objective (Deceptive Convince): Support Lothor in the Hightower regency ID: 13 DR: 2 (Amiable - effectively Friendly. +2 from Attractive, +4 from Status roll) Composure: 12/12 6 Impossible Things - R1 Influence - Persuasion (Act): 6d6k4+1 16 1 DoS = 1 Composure damage. Uh-oh. |
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Post by Father on Jul 4, 2020 15:19:00 GMT 1
Robyn, Ser Robyn now, indeed only mentioned his cousins of royal blood in passing, hardly having a personal acquaintance at the time, but that have surely changed now? But Falyse is much more curious as to why Laena have come to the conclusion that all four would make for poor regents.
Objective: Since Laena already supported her, I think she'll just go with charm. ID: 13 DR: 3 (amiable) Composure: 11/12 Charm Laena: 6d6r1k4+1 17 4-2=2 |
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Post by Laena Pyre on Jul 5, 2020 16:15:05 GMT 1
Laena makes a somewhat pained face, and gently raises a finger in objection. "It is not so much that I believe that all four would be poor regents - indeed, absent outside interference, I feel Ser Raymun in particular would do a fine job - after all, he has experience with that exact thing. It's just those key three words which change things: 'absent outside interference'. "I am not sure how much of my history my lady is aware of, but I was raised in King's Landing, and later Highgarden, before spending time with my husband as wife to a landed knight, and then in Starkwood after his passing. So, I have seen politics at the highest and lowest levels. And I state with certainty: the more power is in the offering, the uglier the politics becomes. Now, take your regency contest - Ser Guyard is your kin, but I think it fair to assume that you are now not full of feelings of kinship towards him, any more than he is for you. Now take that ill-feeling, and scale it up to one of the premier houses in the Reach, and you can perhaps see what I fear happening: whoever of the family wins will suffer the vitroil of the rest of their kin, and, especially when combined with the bloody tensions of the Realm ... there will be blood. And once that road is started down, it will be very hard to get off. House Bridges suffered the murder of two lords in rapid succession in just such a case. And one knight whose death may or may not have been related." she adds, off-handedly. "It is my hope that by introducing a regent from outside the family, the worst of the vitroil may be averted, with the other candidates preferring him to their kin they have fought so bitterly against."
Okay, wow. 6d6r1k4+1. Stubborn, Attractive, and Charismatic (presumably). I am so completely out-classed, here. Objective (Deceptive Convince): Support Lothor in the Hightower regency ID: 13 DR: 2 (Amiable - effectively Friendly. +2 from Attractive, +4 from Status roll) Composure: 10/12 6 Impossible Things - R2 Influence - Persuasion (Act): 6d6k4+1 16 1 DoS again = 1 Composure. Not helped by the terrible rolls I'm getting. With 2 1 DoS results, I have now lost my only advantage (going first), since we are now both at 10/12. Note to self: CHANGE TECHNIQUE (ideally to Charm). Likely going to lose either way, but likely to do more composure damage if I don't have to deal with Stubborn. |
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Post by Father on Jul 10, 2020 16:15:07 GMT 1
More likely, Falyse muses, that the bloodbath would ensue on behalf of outsiders, Lady Melara, if not made regent would probably have to be strongly encouraged to take holy vows. The other three should fall in line, other than that Ser Raymun might be snatchable for one desiring a capable steward if Melara is made regent and Abelar will fume and chafe at the idea of a woman running things. if peace is what one desires, one could always opt for Lady Rhonda.
It's +1 from being amiable, which Laena probably also gets (without much effect). Objective: Since Laena already supported her, I think she'll just go with charm. ID: 13 DR: 3 (amiable) Composure: 10/12 Charm Laena: 6d6r1k4+1 19 8-2=6 |
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Post by Laena Pyre on Jul 10, 2020 20:34:00 GMT 1
"Lady Rhonda is certainly not a bad *person*, from what I know, but she looks to me like a bad *option*. Does my lady not agree that a large part of the opposition to her stems from her gender? And surely my lady is aware that throughout her regency, there will be those who doubt her, who undermine her, purely because of that? Lady Rhonda will suffer that, and also lacks the large base of support Lady Melara can call on to compensate. Even absent outside interference, I fear her leadership would be .. unsteady. Largely not her fault, of course, but blame doesn't matter in these matters, only results."
It's +1 from being amiable, which Laena probably also gets (without much effect). D'oh! Considering I'm primarily an Intrigue character, I really should have a better handle on the mechanics by now... But yeah, that means in both rolls I was 1 off actually achieving something. Grrr. Changing technique to Deceptive Charm. Falyse recovers 4 Composure (caps out at max). -1D penalty to first roll. 6 Impossible Things - R2 Influence -1D - Persuasion (Act): 6d6k3+1+1+3 20 1 short again! That's 2 DoS. 2 * 4 = 8. -1DR = 7 Composure damage (taking her down to 5/12). +1 from disposition +1 from Charismatic +3 from Graceful Edit: Actually should be -1 from Disposition, as I'm being deceptive, but that doesn't change the result. Objective (Deceptive Charm - temporarily): Support Lothor in the Hightower regency ID: 13 DR: 2 (Amiable - effectively Friendly. +2 from Attractive, +4 from Status roll) Composure: 4/12 |
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Post by Father on Jul 12, 2020 23:24:14 GMT 1
But would a do-nothing regency be all that bad? For House Hightower anyhow, the realm perhaps not? But madness will ensue outside the walls of Oldtown whether the lighthouse partakes or not. Falyse does seem to enjoy a little speculation.
Objective: Since Laena already supported her, I think she'll just go with charm. ID: 11 DR: 1 (amiable) Composure: 5/12 Charm Laena: 6d6r1k4+1 218-2=6 |
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Post by Laena Pyre on Jul 17, 2020 1:09:01 GMT 1
"A rebellion is a tumultuous time. Far easier than normal to rise up ... or fall down. 'Do-nothing' could all too easily transform into 'become nothing'. "But let us bring things back down to your level. You are important as well, after all. I note that, with your rival's ... recent misstep, all the current potential regents have already taken a stand for or against him. While, to the best of my knowledge, Lord Lothor has yet to do so. Were you to tell him that he has your support, it would likely be trivial to gain his support for your cause. "In addition, I am aware of a .. porcine problem weighing against you in this contest. While there are no guarantees in life, I am not the only one who sees matters as I do. Between us, we would be able to do what is needed to give you the best chance of victory in that matter possible. If you want. Should those two matters fall in your favour, it should be clear which side has the momentum, and most of those on the fence should fall in behind who they believe will be the winner." She smiles. "Please do not take this as some kind of 'bribe' - I would not malign your honour so. There are good reasons why I began with arguing from the view of what is good for the realm. It's just seems so seldom true that good people can be rewarded for doing the right thing. When such occasions arise, personally, it feels like proof, like no other, that not only are the Seven watching over us, but we are doing Their will."
6 Impossible Things - R3 Manipulate (Bonus action from Frustration) - Deception(Bluff): 6d6k4+1 19 Woo! That should definitely be 1 DoS. Falyse's technique changed to Bargain. 6 Impossible Things - R3 Influence +1D from Frustration - Persuasion (Act): 7d6k5-1+1+3 25 Urgh! 1 short. 3 DoS. 3 * 5 - 1 = 14 Composure damage (I realise after rolling that I should have spent my last Frustration to fast-talk before rolling. Grr. Ah, well. The last in a long line of mistakes during this Intrigue.) Laena takes 1 Frustration to recover 4 Composure, spends 2 for bonus non-Influence action and for +1D and +1 base Influence to roll. Objective (Deceptive Charm - temporarily): Support Lothor in the Hightower regency ID: 7 DR: 2 (Amiable - effectively Friendly. +2 from Attractive, +4 from Status roll) Composure: 3/12 (gained +1 from Manipulate) Frustration 3/4 Falyse will win on her turn, but she should be manipulated into using the Bargain technique, so I offer a Yield based on Bargain: I believe that I've managed to force her to take 3/4 Frustration, so it shouldn't need to be completely one-sided. My proposal: I (and a friend who believes as I do) will do what is necessary to give her the best chance of winning the duel Eldon has challenged. In addition, she may request that I help her with another, smaller, matter at a later date (read: additional minor favour). In exchange, she will support Lord Lothor Mullendore for the Hightower regency, as a compromise candidate. |
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Post by Father on Jul 26, 2020 1:49:07 GMT 1
"Curious how easily doing the right thing comes to one's mind when the rewards are readily apparent." Falyse's playful streak have apparently not been crushed completely, but most of those notes have been replaced by cynical tones. Provided the girl is appointed regent and survives to see her brother come of age, she might quite possibly develop into a shrewd and ruthless woman beneath a sweet facade, proof that reserving a lord's seat for a man is an idiotic idea.
Hmm, well, her objective happens to be friendship meaning a yield would be more like +2 disposition going both ways.
However, she'd be inclined to support Lord Mullendore for a major favor*, knowing that Laena thus would have an interest in ensuring that she and not her uncle will be made regent, because speaking for a Hightower bannerman makes your voice much more powerful. Whether or not Laena thinks it worth the effort to work on Lothor's support and thwarting the pig..well, Falyse assumes she'll be motivated to do enough.
*The murderers of her family dangling from the gallows would happen to count as one, assuming Laena can claim credit for it.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Jul 27, 2020 23:56:21 GMT 1
[Honestly, her last comment seems like a good place to end the scene narratively. Presumably the IC-side of the OOC-deal can be handled off-camera, now that it's settled. So, /scene?]
Urgh. Fine. Offer accepted. Higher price than I wanted, but given that I'm hunting the killers already, hopefully not too onerous.
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