[D1 EE]New Old Acquaintances[Closed]

[Theomore Tullison]

Well, everyone's bound to congregate here sometime during the day, right? Theomore thinks, well at least enough people that he could find what he was looking for, and lo' and behold, that did not even require him to get a drink.

"
Mind if I joined you, good masters?"

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren, who previously had been in deep talk with Athelstan looks up with a distracted expression as he looks at Theomore.
He looks over at Athelstan to see if there is signs of recognition before saying:
"
Not at all, sit down! I remember your face, you showed yourself to be quite adept with the lance, didn't you? What brings you to these parts?"

Yoren asks, before taking a sip from his cup of milk.

[Athelstan]

"
Ser Theomore, you not need to ask me, your always welcome at whatever table I may sit"
he nods and smiles "
Hoped to see you in light of better circumstances, and not dispensing the King's Justice amid all the terrible things around us"
and in a lower tone "
And the terrible price I pay for a night in this place!"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Well, I do have a feeling that we might meet again under equally unpleasant circumstances sooner than we would like."
Theomore gives a weak smile. "
We live in interesting times, and this is just a starter in the royal banquet, the main course is yet to come."


"
For my part, I take heed of the storm clouds as they roll in, and the debris left in their wake like all else, but when I can, I seek to enjoy myself, there is after all, no point in living if you can't feel the life."
Theomore gives a waive to the serving girl, ordering ale for himself and whatever these two masters would like.

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren listens to their talk, not sure what the talk of more unpleasantness up ahead is refering to. The speech with many words of little meaning is one Yoren is very familiar with- having used it often himself.

"
Theomore? Are you here on missive of the king too? How did you get the idea that this is just the start? To me this seems bad enough. More than bad enough. Where did you investigate today to put you in such a glum mood?"

[Athelstan]

"
You do notice our House has brought no soldiers to a battlefield?"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
I did pass through Pennytree this morning and had a look at what I might find, nothing to get overly glum about there, no."
Theomore says dispassionately. "
The realm holds it's breath for what will come when the bells on Visenya's Hill starts to chime."


"
If it wasn't for it being wildly inappropriate, I'd stake good gold that the first blow to reopen the blood feud between Black and Bracken was struck by those who has a mind to see where the allegiances of certain houses that stood at the center of events at Rivverrun falls when put to a test. There are those in King's Landing and on Dragonstone with a desire to test their strength, and the Riverlands will, as it always have been, be right in the thick of it."

[Athelstan]

"
Glad there wasn't much in Pennytree village, probably brigands blaming one or the other House as it benefits them to cover their tracks"
crossing his arms around his chest "
Most Houses did fell for the trick, I've seen large number of soldiers under different Houses here and there, it seems to me that people came to enforce their justice in the name of the King, and falling for the ploy of the crown to tests their armies and loyalties"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
No matter the cause, the king decreed that six houses are to act on his behalf in restoring his peace, and no doubt the eyes and ears of many are watching the proceedings here."
Theomore takes a long sip from his cup. "
The expectations of ones friends and allies...I wonder, House Longshore was quite considerate in maintaining it's neutrality at Riverrun, have you managed to hold on to it? One might get the impression that you are now Bracken loyalists given the display when bread and salt were handed out earlier today..."

[Yoren longshore]

"
Neutrality seems to be an issue that we are not alone in struggling with. When the ceremony was given at the same time in two places, everyone got problems. If people throw accusations about us not being neutral I can't imagine what Ben will face."

Yoren shrugs slightly while smiling: "
This won't be pretty for anyone involved, we just hope to keep our heads over the water."


Yoren smiles at his brother before continuing: "
I think we'll manage well enough, wouldn't you say? How about you? I believe Tullison went to the blackwoods for bread and salt, given past interaction that may prove interesting... The riverlands has always been the heart of the realm, both Tullison and Longshores have need for allies, should situations deteriorate."

[Athelstan]

"
They will think the same when we speak at Blackwood's tomorrow, before I go investigating their lands. More importantly I think the other Houses have more at stake like the Tullison's well known favor of the Blackwoods, which with Lord Benedict now as a Marsten, put's them at risk as I didn't see him at the Bracken's like they normally do only Corrine, so who really leads the House?"
sipping of his cup of ale, this place is expensive enough to go ordering anything to fancy "
We brought no army to enforce the King's justice we have only but a few just to fend of brigands and such from our investigation, while I can see other marching down. This is just a small war waiting to happen which is probably what people want to see, for loyalties will be tested there, and the Longshores will remain neutral and stand on the sidelines more than likely and let the other five Houses spill blood in the name of Bracken or Blackwood"
shrugging "
At least we all know the Tullison's stand for the Blackwoods and probably also lord Benedict Marsten, question is only were the other Houses loyalty, and who will come to seek the Longshores to tip the balance if needed or we will remain neutral"


Looking at Yoren "
What armed conflict, are you joining a side to lead our 10 men against hundreds? Best we can do is observe if and when the battle ensues Yoren nothing more"


Perfect time to study both Bracken and Blackwood lands for a raid, this will be very interesting in deed

[Theomore Tullison]

"
I doubt there will be bloodshed."
Theomore shakes his head at that. "
Oh, some brawl over some provocation, that is bound to happen, but organized violence? No."


"
My guess is that the Blackwoods will already think that you have adorned the Bracken cloak, winning both as your friends would be a near impossible task I fear, might perhaps be advisable to settle for one, no?"

[Yoren longshore]

"
Might be better to settle for one. How about Dunstan, has he settled for either part?"

[Athelstan]

"
Advisable yes, convenient yes, but not yet"
smiles Athelstan "
I know the Blackwoods won't trust us after showing up at the Bracken's first an unavoidable thing, but evidence in their favor we come up with might change that, and make the Bracken's think ill of us, so either way, what we really uncover as evidence is what will get use one as friend and the other as unfriendly to us. You can't be everyone's friends, your always going to step on someone's toes, it's just choosing were it's going to be tricky, but we have no real allies in the Houses here present only friendship and that doesn't always hold when deeper loyalties and bitter enmity comes by"

[Theomore Tullison]

Theomore clears his throat softly. "
If you would allow me to address you each in turn?"
Already taking stock of which answer to give last, the interesting one, the seed to what he was looking for.

"
My late brother once had a similar dilemma as I understand you have now, ours is a young house, an offshoot from House Tully founded by my great grandfather, a bastard of Edmyn Tully, the lord that led the Riverlands in rebellion against Harren the Black and was rewarded with the title of Lord Paramount for it, we had grown steadily into our own, but among others that recounts their ancestry down to the kings and heroes of old, it is hard to earn consideration as more than simply a lord Tully's man in the mountains, lord or no. Having their red hair does not help much."
Theomore waves for another drink, tales like these makes one thirsty.

"
So he married lord Blackwood's daughter, the grandfather of the young one we have now, the thing with bloodfeuds is that there is always a need for allies, a chance for House Tullison to let the realm see it's standard, and witness what men hardened by skirmishes from the clansmen at the beginning of every winter are good for. He died in battle for the Blackwoods three years later, leaving a son and daughter behind, Raventree has honored this sacrifice, and through this allegiance, along with hard work on my part making friends all over the Riverlands to prepare the grounds for my nephew to come of age and show the seven kingdoms a face for House Tullison that they will remember, we have succeeded at what my brother started. Such things are not easily set aside."


"
Hence I find it curious that we were chosen to enforce the king's peace and administer his justice, given our allegiance, which one cannot seriously believe that we will ignore, though my nephew is a remarkable man, a true and righteous knight with a strong belief in fairness. So he might not be so inclined towards seeing the Blackwood side of things as others will expect."


"
But we shall have to see where the pieces falls."
He drains his cup, time for a refill, though he best not have much more this evening, he needed to stay sharp.

"
As for finding evidence to get yourself into the good graces of someone, I might be able to help with that."

[Athelstan]

"
Have you found anything so far in your investigations or is it other information?"
truly curious to the honesty of Ser Theomore and more than eager to listen.

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Well, I did pass through Pennytree on my way here, as I mentioned."
Theomore puts the bait on the hook, now does the fish bite? "
At first glance, it looks like Bracken troops raided the caravan, but I did find it odd that they would leave so many obvious markings of their passing."


"
Suppose there was a third party involved, and House Tullison were to expose them, that act may then lead to questions concerning Lord Dunstan's loyalties, admirable as such a dedication to justice might be, most lords prefers allies that look out for their interests rather than undermining them. I have a friend of mine on the case, and should his efforts lead to results."
Theomore smiles mischievously, greatly amused by not saying a single untrue word, yet put together, it was rather removed from what he was truly saying. "
I could be inclined to point friends of House Tullison in the right direction to take advantage of it."

[Athelstan]

"
I'm no enemy of House Tullison, and always looking to make friends for House Longshore, so if you need me help I would be more than happy to oblige, as long as justice is done of course"
shrugging his shoulders "
Like I said, we want to remain neutral, but we like to come out of this with friends not enemies so every little helps"
Athelstan would wink with his eye, but it does not exists so his expression just looks strange.

"
I figured there would be a third party in many of the cases, and most like brigands, but this has the flair of being more interesting, so I would be more than happy to lend a hand Ser Theomore, after all both Houses could be friends specially in this dark times we are apparently moving into"

[Yoren longshore]

"
We'd be happy to help you, however it may carry some complications. As you said, it's strange that they have gotten so many blackwood supporters on this case. Someone may want a certain result from this investigation...
Tullison are not alone in supporting Blackwood. Coldbrook have their old ties, Marsten has taken the young lord Blackwood as their ward, and you too are old blackwood supporters. Given previous encounters I'd put Dulver with the Blackwoods too.

I'd be willing to have a look at your evidence, however It will have to be strong evidence for it not to be disregarded by the Marstens."

Yoren leans in: "
Could we have some more to go by? How strong indications do you have?"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
As of now? Only a feeling, though one I am not alone in having."
Theomore cannot give more than that. "
What evidence the trail might lead to I can only guess, and what the Marstens might think of it, I can only speculate rather wildly based on that guess."


"
Though there are six houses present here, all with a say in these proceedings, the Marstens need make heed of the..well, popular vote might be an apt description."

[Yoren longshore]

"
We will certainly look into it, and that goes with all information a reliable knight wants to provide us with. I do fear that the information will matter little when compared to six houses interest."
Yoren shrugs apologetically: "
I will do my best to represent all sides of the story, but I'll be loath to speak in favour of either of the houses. We have a plan on how to visit all the places systematically, and we will hopefully be able to shed light on both sides of the coin."


"
How is Dunstan faring as a lord? He has some quite big shoes to fill..."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
I think you will find that such information as is uncovered will matter greatly should it align with the interests of the houses presented."
Theomore lifts his cup to emphasize the point.

"
As for my lord nephew, what shoes does he have to fill? Those of an ailing mother or an uncle absent more often than not? He is making his own shoes, I dare say."

[Athelstan]

"
Them best be boots up in those mountains"
Athelstan grins at his joke "
I agree with that, I suppose, let us see where the trail leads us"

[Yoren longshore]

[Yoren would like to engage in an intrigue]

"
Maybe the information will be of use, maybe it won't, we will look into it, although we could benefit from having someone who knew the lay of the land and where to look already with us..."

"
When becoming lord of a house in trouble good stewardship becomes all the more important."

[Theomore Tullison]

[Well, sure, though my preferred way of resolving PC on PC intrigue is to negotiate a yield where both get something out of it.]

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