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Post by Laena Pyre on Oct 16, 2018 23:58:18 GMT 1
28, 29, 30, 31!Laena stopped pacing when she reached the briar wall, and made a note in her notebook as to the length of the passage. She examines the numbers. Hmm. Maybe... She carefully walks along a wall of vegetation, staring intently at it. At one point, she reaches into the bush. No, nothing. She pulls out a small leaf, adding it to her collection, for the purposes of concealing her purpose from her chaperone. Marking a small 'x' by that wall, she steps back to the corner, then begins pacing again. 1, 2, 3, 4,...She knew that the chances of her finding any of more the secret rooms Lord Bryce had showed her were slim, but she just couldn't resist spending at least some time digging into the matter, now she knew they were there. SitL - Cunning (Logic): 5d6k4 15SitL - Awareness (Notice): 4d6 9[Ah, well. A pleasant hour or two wandering a maze isn't the worst fate such a bad roll could give me.]
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Post by Father on Oct 17, 2018 0:52:33 GMT 1
Laena manages to retrace her steps to the one door she knows about, she finds nothing but hedges without doors wherever else she looks.
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Post by Septon Abelar on Oct 17, 2018 2:00:48 GMT 1
Abelar trails a respectful distance behind Laena.
Chaperoning is dull work for the most part. It mostly consists of watching the young and lustful prance about, sighing and daydreaming of all manner of intemperate thing, but not learning anything tangible with which to confront them. It is not the sort of time that a young man or woman has serious things on the mind, and Abelar is nothing if not a serious man. Besides, this is no time for such things. Not with murders and disappearances; strife within Blackbriar, and worse.
In order to be spared such a fate, Abelar had volunteered to chaperone Laena Pyre, the only proper lady among the those that the septons had been asked to watch over. Laena is also a good choice for other reasons--her closeness to Ashara Starkwood could yield benefits on the Roland and Balon fronts, and as a "great" bastard, she is more politically aware than Abelar at a moment when such things are of paramount importance.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Oct 17, 2018 11:55:20 GMT 1
A part of Laena was definitely flattered that Abelar had asked to chaperone her today - he was famous, after all. But another part was suspicious. He just *happened* to ask the day after she'd, well ... fucked Lord Bryce? She'd made sure to wash thoroughly this morning to ensure there was absolutely no physical evidence, but maybe he had more of an eye on her than she'd thought. Maybe the septon Lord Bryce had (presumably) bribed had a reputation which Abelar was aware of, and he had suspicions? Or maybe he could somehow *sense* pre-marital sex. Inter-marital sex?
She knew well enough that silence had a habit of making those who felt guilty want to fill the silence. She imagined the Septon, with his severe face and unforgiving demeanour, was something of a master at the technique.
Unfortunately for him, she didn't feel guilty.
Not one bit.
So, she just carried on, peacefully collecting leaves, making notes, and letting the ambient sounds fill the comfortable silence.
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Post by Septon Abelar on Oct 18, 2018 1:02:26 GMT 1
After being lost in his own thoughts for several minutes, Abelar finally focuses on what Laena is doing.
"Is my lady training to be an herbalist?" He walks forward a bit to get a better look at what she's up to.
You might be able to trick Abelar into assisting you, if you'd like.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Oct 18, 2018 2:12:29 GMT 1
Laena takes a moment to consider before huffing a breath. "'My Lady' is a paranoid fool." She lowers her voice as the septon nears. "Tomorrow, there's a foot-race through here. With all the ... unpleasantness that has gone on, I'm jumping at shadows. I have mental images of Ser Symon, or anyone really, disoriented by the constant turning, not paying proper attention because he's hurrying, and an assassin jumping out of the bushes, plunging a dagger into his unprotected back." She sighs. "Like I said, paranoid. I've found no evidence of any such hiding spots existing. But I just couldn't sleep right until I'd checked it for myself."
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Post by Septon Abelar on Oct 19, 2018 0:12:25 GMT 1
Abelar frowns a bit. "Normally, I would think you hysterical. But the truth is that there has been enough bloodshed and subterfuge in this tourney to fill one of Barth's histories." He runs a hand across some of the leaves, glancing around as he does. "Does Ser Symon have enemies capable of so attacking him?" Implicit in the question is the observation that Balon is more brute than sneak.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Oct 19, 2018 2:26:57 GMT 1
"He's half-Dornish. The way the rhetoric is heating up, that's reason enough." She snorts in amusement, then waves an apologetic hand. "I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at the thought of my cousin coming to harm, rather ... how can I put it? We are living in an insane world, where the bastard daughter of probably the greatest monster of our time actually carries a fair amount of respect, while the trueborn chivalrous knight son of an honest, honourable lord is so widely reviled that I'm worried over strangers literally jumping out of bushes to kill him." She gestures towards the bush she was examining to emphasise the ridiculousness of the situation.
She continues quieter, almost to herself, staring blankly into the bush. "Given my bloodline's reputation for insanity, I wonder sometimes if all this is just an elaborate fantasy I created inside my head to escape the horror of my real life. Being legitimized; me and my siblings becoming kind of respected figures, because of who our *father* was; considered objectively, it's like the world's gone mad." She gently tugs at a branch. "The simplest explanation is that it's just me."
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Post by Septon Abelar on Oct 23, 2018 2:53:30 GMT 1
The septon begins feeling around in the bushes to try and locate anything out of place. He stops for a moment when Laena acknowledges the monstrous nature of her father, and inclines his head to her. "Things are truly topsy-turvy lately. Houses with storied histories of valor and piety have been degraded by the actions of lustglorious knights." Abelar is slightly pleased with himself for turning that phrase, which captures his theory of Balon's motivation. These knights are so giddy with excitement over Ser Daemon, they would just as soon fuck him as fight for him . . . add a little wine and fellowship turns to fellatio; camaraderie? More like cu-Abelar's thoughts are briefly interrupted when a thorny leaf pokes his hand. . . . But Balon would suck Blackfyre's cock if given the chance. Even his moniker, 'Blackhorn' is a practical announcement of his intention . . . [D8 Labyrinth] Awareness (Notice): 4d6 15
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Post by Laena Pyre on Oct 23, 2018 13:07:04 GMT 1
Laena is tempted to query about the 'valour' in Blackbriar history, but that would hardly be diplomatic. "It is ... disappointing when a bastard has to struggle daily to behave as a trueborn, for a trueborn to so easily behave as a bastard, and suffer so little consequence. But all will be judged fairly in the end, I suppose. We must take comfort in that. Particularly when the impious would not listen to the truth, no matter how well-preached."
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Post by Septon Abelar on Oct 24, 2018 1:36:03 GMT 1
"There was once a time when the impious were made to listen to the truth, at swordpoint if need be." Abelar sighs. "Today's clergy is far too meek."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Oct 24, 2018 13:46:10 GMT 1
"My pardon, Septon, but while it may be easier to be bold while you hold a sword to the other person's throat - metaphorically or otherwise - that is not true courage. That is hiding cowardice behind a superior position. Faith in steel, rather than faith in the Seven.
"To stand between two armed lords protected by steel is to simply add another combatant. To stand between two armed lords protected by naught but your faith is a bold statement of faith and courage. It is easy to dictate words and actions at the end of a sword, and the words will be said, and actions done, but they are empty, meaningless, as the underlying belief does not change. Being forced into a position breeds resentment, and pushes them away from it in their heart.
"If the Seven truly blessed the Faith Militant, do you think *anything* could have stopped them? Yet they were, undoubtedly, stopped. I would argue this was for good reason - a false belief in steel, portraying a false courage, giving false results. The only way for the righteous to keep to the path in times of temptation, and for sinners to be redeemed, is for *words* to cut through the fog of confusion around their heart, and permit the Seven entry. Steel cutting to their heart, however satisfying it may be in certain circumstances, does neither of these things."
Aaand she's off on another religious debate with the good Septon. ...Yeah, she's a slow learner in some ways.
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Post by Septon Abelar on Oct 30, 2018 3:06:41 GMT 1
"Your position is not without its adherents, including in the church. But I believe my position stronger." Abelar rubs his fingers together to work off the sap. "Consider this: if faith and empty hands were stronger than steel, brigands would find themselves powerless when faced with unarmed septons on the road. And yet we have all heard of holy men falling victim to these attacks." The septon walks slowly down the path, keeping pace with Laena. "So yes, steel can best faith alone. But warriors full of holy fervor, steel in hand, cannot be stopped by any mortal force." He meets Laena's gaze. "And no mortal force did stop them. It was dragons that did that." His face twists a bit. "Dragons have ruined a many things."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Oct 30, 2018 6:00:38 GMT 1
"But dragons were mortal." she points out, softly, and seemingly a little sadly. "They're all dead and gone now. Flesh and bone become dust and myth. The way of the Faith Militant failed against their strength. But the way of the Seven as it is now succeeded. Patience. Endurance. Prayer. It was not a thunderbolt from on high. It was not a blade carved with the Seven-pointed Star. But the dragons died, nonetheless, the last ones supposedly pathetic creatures unworthy of the name, and the Faith remains. Not through strength of arms, but through strength of faith.
"Further, I would point you at the example of Lord Arlyn Blackbriar, during the Dance, if it is not uncouth for me to do so. A pious man, who understood that to keep to a pious path requires hard work and discipline, with plenty of study and prayer. And because of the time spent there, he lacked the time required to excel at martial pursuits, with disastrous results. I would not go so far as to claim it's impossible, but both martial and holy pursuits are very demanding paths, in terms of time and dedication. Few are those who can truly excel at even one of those paths. The man who could master both would be rarer by far. I feel that by attempting to walk two paths, a man is by far more likely to fail at both. We both know there are 'knights' who fail at all measures of knighthood, and I cannot believe that there are no men who are similar embarrassments to the Faith. Now imagine how things would go if the numbers and proportions of those embarrassments increased, due to divided attentions."
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Post by Septon Abelar on Nov 4, 2018 19:22:21 GMT 1
Abelar waves a hand. "I meant 'mortal' in a less literal sense--dragons are fire made flesh, whereas men are fragile." He smiles a bit--a rare sight. "But milady is quite the debater!"
"Commanding two pursuits is indeed difficult. Not all men have the temperament and discipline to hew to the faith with steel in hand. Just so, not all lords can balance rule and friendship, love and war, or any of the other pursuits that are required of them. You are right that many knights fall short, some so much so that they are unworthy of the title." He lets the mention of Lord Arlyn Blackbriar pass without mention. Unfortunately, weakness in leadership is not an uncommon trait in the history of the house.
"I was once approached in a sept by a widowed lady with young children. Despite her duties as a mother, she sought me out to discuss a matter of politics, and pressed her house's interests with no small measure of skill. Should the Warrior's Sons return, I pray that they would walk the paths of piety and war as easily as this lady walked her two paths."
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