[D4:EE] The Pate Bait (Closed)

[Nathaniel Mason]

When Jon motioned the small group to a stop, Nathan patted and rubbed the neck of his sand steed. He and the black horse got on well, but the arrogant equine had a malicious disposition with practically everyone else. Nathan had namef him Belthasar after the famous Bolton from long ago. More than one stableboy had lost some of his skin to the animal.

Jon pointed down into the valley. They overlooked the farmhouse where Pate had been kept. The sun was starting to set, and Nathan could see men moving to surround the structure. They would attack any minute.

Nathan's eyes wrinkled and his mouth fell open. He looked at Jon with raised eyebrows and a somewhat perplexed look. "
I set a trap, and we just happen to stumble here at the precise moment they decide to attack?"


Ser Jon Roxton shrugged. "
Must be destiny."


Nathan's eyes widened, his eyebrows rising even higher. "
Either that... or the Seven really hate these guys.

[Reader]

"
Belthasar is more dangerous than most destriers.

Ser Jon spoke clearly but forcefully: "
By on your guard Nathaniel - if you are right, these men have good cause to silence us. They ride in pairs at the moment, standard practice. You will know the time for talk is over when they fan out."


As Ser Jon speaks, one of the riders peels off and rides back towards the Green Door Inn.

Ser Jon raises an eyebrow:

"
We're evenly matched with our guests should it come to blows. Well, evenly matched for numbers - unless Ser Criston Cole or Ser Alayne Tarly with Heartsbane itself rides with them, I am confident that Orphan-maker and I can tip the scales."


The group of spare sons who had tied their fortune to Ser Jon had been tried in battle, adding experience to the long training they had received in the Reach. Well armed and armoured, they'd have the better of most opponents in any conflict.

"
I am all for pursuit, but only you or I has the steed to catch a rider who has such a headstart. My sword is of more use here - I am confident you and Deception can handle any man craven enough to flee before sword are even drawn."


Ser Jon doesn't bother to disguise his contempt for a man who departs before swords are crossed.

Down in the valley, the riders remained in their long paired column, the rider at the front shouting to the skeleton guard left within the farmhouse.

[Nathaniel Mason]

"
The Seven have left us no choice."
sighing he nudges Belthasar after the fleeing rider. "
Try not to kill them all."


Nathan considered this might be a trap, but quickly dismissed it. The attacking force could have no idea they would show up just at that moment and time. Indeed, it had been a whim on his part to check on Pate at that moment.

He was not an expert rider by any means. Without Belthesar, he might not even consider this, but he trusted the Seven to know what they were doing. He could feel the animal striving to blinding speed. The he could almost feel the arrogant steed thinking: That hack thinks he can beat me!

[url=Cunning (Memory) Pate Bait][/url]: 5d6k4 17 2DoS (against TN9 or 12)

[Using what he knows of the area to plot an intercept route.]

[Reader]

While Ser Jon Roxton sprung the trap on Pate's would be rescuers or silencers, Nathaniel set off in determined pursuit of his quarry.

Nathaniel had carefully plotted out the nearby terrain, and this, together with Belthasar's mixture of speed and stamina that are the hallmarks of sand steeds allowed him to close the gap and corner his quarry in a narrow pass.

The exhausted rider wheels his mount. His tunic bears no badge, but Nathaniel recognises the hulking figure of Ser Niall Lucas, heir to his house, staring back at him.

"
Hold, hold,"
offers the fatigued knight, holding up a hand.

[url=animal handling (ride)][/url]: 4d6k3 14

Opponent wins first round of the chase, Quarry = 1, Nathaniel = 0. First to 3 wins.

Ten more rounds - [url=animal handling (ride)][/url]: 10#4d6k3 10 10 13 12 13 14 10 9 5 9

[url=Pate Give Chase][/url]: 10#5d6k3 12 18 14 18 11 12 17 14 9 11

Round 1 Rider pulls away.

Round 2 Nathan closes the distance.

Round 3 Belthasar launches into a stunning burst of speed. (Perfect roll.)

Round 4 Nathan is neck and neck with his quarry. (technically a win.... but...)

Round 5 Belthasar gracefully leaps over a fallen tree and immediately turns to cut off the other horse. (Another Perfect roll.)

The Gods.. at least the Orokos Gods... are definitely not on this guy's side.

[Nathaniel Mason]

Nathan looked at the Knight, stunned for a moment, then lifted his eyes heavenward and groaned. "
Of course. That's why you ran. You had to lead your men, but you couldn't afford to be recognized."


He leveled a hooded gaze at the Knight. "
I suggest you start talking, Ser Niall. I am vastly more reasonable and pragmatic than Ser Jon Roxton will be when he hears of this. He already considers you a coward for abandoning your men and he doesn't even know who you are yet."


[url=Pate Give Chase - Persusasion][/url]: 7d6k5 21

[Reader]

Something about his pursuer's manner puts Ser Niall Lucas off from simply attempting to fight his way free.

Well, his pursuer's manner, his fatigue from the long ride and the mention of Ser Jon Roxton.

"
My father, I did it all for my father."


He leans on his tired courser's neck, almost as exhausted as his steed.

"
Well, I will confess I did not speak to my lord father, but my brother told me the man captured here had bought a stay of execution with lies about our father's conduct against the Faith Militant, claiming he treacherously slew our dear departed uncle. He said that a show trial was planned by the Blacks, and that this was the only way to preserve our family line from grasping cousins who would sell out the Queen's party for the sake of a castle."


"
I have ever trusted Olyver."


Niall is a patsy. An intimidating, feared patsy, but a patsy nonetheless.

[Nathaniel Mason]

Nathan gave a long sigh, rubbing his brow in frustration. He was not sure which was worse, incredibly clever nobles, or incredibly stupid ones. Probably the clever ones. They at least knew the consequences of their actions.

"
I am afraid, Ser Niall, you have been grievously misinformed."


Nathan's steady gaze returned to the Knight. "
You have three choices, Ser Niall. You can try and kill me, but you would have to kill my horse. I'd prefer you not do that. It's an extremely expensive horse. You can continue to run. I will not chase you, but now that I know who you are, there would be little point. Or you can return to the farmhouse. If we get there quickly enough, perhaps we can prevent Ser Jon Roxton from slaughtering all your men."


"
Which would you prefer, Ser Niall?"

[Reader]

Ser Niall did not answer with words, but kicked his tired horse back in the direction of the farmhouse. He had voted with his stirrups.

"
What, will become of me? What will become of my men?"


Despite his size and prowess he seemed confused, beaten, but with a genuine tone of concern for his troops.

[Nathaniel Mason]

"
What happens to you men may have already happened if we do not hurry."
says Nathan grimly. "
Otherwise, what happens to them will depend on what happens to you."


"
If you have been genuinely misled by your brother, the fault is his, not yours."
said Nathan. "
We investigators are here to find the truth, Ser Niall, not to create more victims."
Although we seem very good at that too. "
I would only suggest you deal with us honorably and truthfully. Misplaced loyalties will only bring further grief."

[Reader]

Nathaniel and Ser Niall returned to the farmhouse, where Ser Jon Roxton and the adventurers that followed him had made short work of the mixture of Lucas sworn swords and hired mercenaries that had opposed them.

Several lay dead or dying, with a few tied up and bleeding, but in less dire straits.

Ser Jon was cleaning Orphan-maker, his family's famed Valyrian steel sword, when Nathaniel returned with his penitent prey in tow.

"
These men are not mere hired mercenaries Nathaniel,"
called Ser Jon. "
Some of their equipment is too new and well maintained. Castle work."


He gestured at Ser Niall as the man's features became clear in the evening gloom.

"
I suspect you and your guest can shed more light on this than I can..."


Ser Niall shook his head in sorrow.

"
By the Seven, good men, loyal. Dead for a lie..."

[Nathaniel Mason]

Nathan turned on the Knight furiously, but stopped himself. He closed his eyes, trembling with rage. Men dead or wounded. Men wasted.

He had spent his entire life bringing men pleasure. He loved men. All of them. The old and the young. The wise and the stupid. The attractive and the ugly. Almost all of them had some spark in them that made them worthwhile in the eyes of the Seven. The few that didn't? Well. They just needed to be removed, but there were not as many of those you might think, if you took the time to look. He did not know if the men who died here deserved it. Only the Father knew for sure.

What Nathan knew for sure, was they would not die in vain.

Slowly the trembling stopped as Nathan pushed his anger down into the pit with all the other anger that was there.

He opened his eyes.

"
You believed someone you love, Ser Niall. If someone I loved came to me, I would believe them too. There is no guilt in that. Only regret. The fault of this is not yours. It is the fault of the man who deceived you to come here. Let us try to save who we can, then go speak to Lady Marsten."


[/scene?]

[Reader]

Ser Jon bound Ser Niall securely and rode behind Nathaniel and their prisoner, leaving the larger part of their force behind to care for the misled survivors and prepare the rest to be returned home, on Ser Jon's orders. The chivalry of the reach extended even to a forgotten farmhouse in the Riverlands. A knightly gesture with potential political benefits.

Bold Ser Jon kept his hand on his sword as they jode, but mercifully the journey passed without further incident.

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