Re: [D5, MA] Visiting House Darry (Closed)

[Reader]

But it was the right question for a man without full faith and confidence in his father's leadership, despite Corrine's calming tone earlier. It prompts a brief outburst.

"
Unaware as best I can tell, although I know not if he would have raised a hand even if the Beast himself and that viper Ser Myles had come through arm in arm accompanied by drummers. Seven strike me blind if it's not true."


Corrine's reassurance echoe in his mind, dragging some sense out of the young knight.

"
We were sent out as riders and came upon the camps, but always long after the fact. I asked my Lord Father for permission to more fully garrison the border, spreading out. He counselled patience and kept our forces concentrated at home. Father as my witness and on my honour as a knight."


Ser Robb may have differed from his father in how the house should be run, be he was all too similar in his pious invocations of the Gods.

Ser Jon leans in his saddle while Robb speaks, then offers his own thoughts on the matter.

"
I would have voted with you Ser. Some men, like your father fear to stir the hornets nest, worried at the consequences of defeat or trusting to royal authority."


He pats Orphan-maker's pommel.

"
Men have never accused me of being one to wait. That said, stringing out risks being overwhelmed by a more focused force, particularly against a lance or two of Bracken knights and men at arms. A bold strategy needs strength to back it up."
Strength that the current House Darry may or may not have, its forces little tested beyond aiding House Coldbrook in suppressing the resurgent Faith Militant.

Ser Robb nods in almost frenzied assent, hearing only the praise for action, not the criticism of strategy. Here is a proper man, lordly in pride and swift to his sword!

[OOC: awareness (empathy) TN ??]

[Nathaniel Mason]

"
Lady Marsten."
replied Nathan smoothly. "
This presents us with a problem."


"
Even if Lord Darry was unaware of the attacks at the time they were happening, which is a concern in itself, he surely would have become aware of this fact later, either during their own investigation before presenting their charges to the Crown, or afterwards when Ser James and Ser Kevan investigated just a few days ago. Yet he failed to mention this to us this afternoon, which means he either withheld the information from us, or the information has been withheld from him."


Neither possibility boded well for House Darry.

[url=Awareness (Empathy)][/url]: 4d6k3 12

[Reader]

Ser Robb interrupts, frustration boiling over.

"
Exactly. My father was not bold enough to accuse either party, or unleash us on bandits if they were responsible. He must have perfect certainty and no risk my the time he moves, else he'll wait and wait until it's too late. A complaint to the king and then hiding behind walls. Had my father let me fly the banners I would have sought out truth with sword and lance, winning it from bandit, Bracken or Blackwood, Warrior willing."

[Nathaniel Mason]

"
Prudence does have it's merits."
replied Nathan softly. "
Although, of all the choices Lord Darry had, I would argue choosing to do nothing was not the optimal choice."


"
The questions remain, Lady Marsten: Did Lord Darry deliberately attempt to mislead us, and if so, why? Are his people deliberately attempting to mislead him, and if so why? Finally, does what Lord Darry know or not know have any bearing on the facts of the charges we are here to resolve?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Shrewd questions, Goodman Nathan,"
Corrine replies, thoughtfully, frowning a little. "
It is most troubling that he said nothing of it to us. Would you suggest asking him ourselves?"


[ooc: Reader, my Empathy roll is in my previous post.]

[Nathaniel Mason]

"
That is up to you, my Lady, and how much importance you place on whether or not Lord Darry attempted to mislead us. What Lord Darry did or did not do, or knew or did not know has actually little bearing on the matters we were sent to resolve."
Nathan glanced at Ser Robb. "
I am sure Lord Darry will be made aware of the facts soon enough, If you would prefer to simply concentrate on the immediate matters before us."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
I think whether it was ignorance or deception is worth knowing,"
Corrine replied.

[Nathaniel Mason]

"
Then you should speak to him, my Lady."
Nathan gives the young lady a fiendish smile. "
If nothing else, this information may have a bearing on Lord Darry's position when it comes to reparations. Certainly damage has been done, and compensation is due to pay for repairs, but how much reparations or punitive damages should be paid, and by who, may need reassessing."


"
I find it hard to believe the Blackwoods could operate for so long without the assistance, or at least the tacit consent, of House Darry. That also would shed a different light on the fact it was House Bracken that was singled out for damages."


The implication being that House Darry and House Blackwood were operating together against House Bracken (either politically, or for coin) while trying to maintain House Darry's appearance of 'neutrality'.

"
As I said to you a week ago. It is rare for anyone to sling mud and remain clean themselves."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Precisely. It will have a bearing on the recommendations I make for the treaty. I shall speak with him. Is there anything else you would have us know, Ser Robb?"

[Reader]

"
I have given a full account as best I know it, Seven strike me down if I have lied."


Ser Robb turns his steed back towards grey old Forkfort.

Initial questioning proved sufficient to form some view as to Lord Darry's honesty, bravery and competence. Lords could be prickly in their own halls, particularly ones as old as Darry and with their unhappy history.

[OOC: Awareness (empathy) at TN 12 is the "
polite"
option for testing this. Simple intrigue = pressing the issue, still polite if the right abilities are rolled, roleplay made and at least 2 DoS at base TN 12. Full intrigue is slightly forcing the issue, but you can progress up through these options and stop where you like, it's not a one off choice. Hooray for a flexible rules system that allows easy sliding scales of success.

Tests based on Lord Joffrey Darry's ID and passive deception.]

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Thank you, Ser Robb. I shall return with you, to have some final words with your father."


[url=Awareness (Empathy)][/url]: 4d6k3 15

[Reader]

Corrine felt able to make a sounds judgement based on the initial questioning, but the royal investigators had the rank to risk pressing further if desired.

[OOC: results of Corrine's conversation via PM. Nathaniel is welcome to roll awareness too and both can press further as noted previously.]

[Nathaniel Mason]

Corrine felt able to make a sounds judgement based on the initial questioning, but the royal investigators had the rank to risk pressing further if desired.

[OOC: results of Corrine's conversation via PM. Nathaniel is welcome to roll awareness too and both can press further as noted previously.]

[OOC: Conversation should be posted if we are present for it.

Ser Jon, +1 Aid to Corrine's roll.

[url=Cunning (Memory) Darry][/url]: 5d6k4 17
[url=Nathan Co-ordinate Corrine][/url]: 6d6k4 10 +2 to Corrine's roll.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Speaking to Lord Darry on the matters arisen during her time with Ser Robb, Corrine comes to believe that Lord Darry did not have prior knowledge. Wilfully so, she surmises. After all, one does not have to act on what one does not know. She relays this impression to Nathan and Jon after departing.

[Reader]

Corrine felt able to make a sounds judgement based on the initial questioning, but the royal investigators had the rank to risk pressing further if desired.

[OOC: results of Corrine's conversation via PM. Nathaniel is welcome to roll awareness too and both can press further as noted previously.]

[OOC: Conversation should be posted if we are present for it.

Ser Jon, +1 Aid to Corrine's roll.

[url=Cunning (Memory) Darry][/url]: 5d6k4 17
[url=Nathan Co-ordinate Corrine][/url]: 6d6k4 10 +2 to Corrine's roll.

Lord Joffrey spluttered and invoked the Seven: not so much for the sake of obscuring the truth from the royal investigators as to save face in front of his family and retainers. A most cautious man, perhaps unsurprising given all his house had been through both recently and in the Faith Militant's uprising.

[OOC: sorry for the thin previous response (and again here) Nathaniel: I was using reported speech at the bottom of the previous page to speed things up as I wrap up the thread but can expand if necessary. Resorting to reported speech again here rather than direct.

Corrine has summarised what you learn from initial questioning without pressing the issue, and I've PMed you full details.]

[Nathaniel Mason]

[OOC: The question becomes, Corrine, do you want to press the issue.

Lord Darry is trying to make political hay at the expense of the Brackens (10 points no less) when even a token show of force might have run off the Blackwoods and prevented this situation from happening in the first place.

A case could reasonably be made by the Darry actions that Lord Darry and the Blackwoods were in accomplices in order to lure the Brackens into this situation in order to entrap them. (I guarantee that's how the Greens are going to spin this by the time things are said and done.)

You will need to decide how you want this to play out. The easiest way would just be to rule that no crime has been committed. The Darry's did not choose to enforce their borders, against either the Blackwoods or the Brackens. Therefore whatever damage was done is the result of their own inaction. Simply dismiss the charges and move on. They Darry's won't be happy, but they will be less happy if a full accounting comes out and they look weak or foolish or at worst corrupt.

Or Lord Darry might be persuaded to withdraw the charges, which would settle the matter immediately... and which none of the other Houses can argue with. I would suggest an intrigue to get Lord Darry to withdraw the charges, with a yield being that we will quietly arrange for House Darry to be compensated for some of their damages. The stick you wield that you can summarily dismiss his charges will be enough to make him deal.]

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

[ooc: I had planned on calling it a net neutral and moving on, but, now you put it like that, it might be wiser to nudge a little. How about Corrine advises Lord Darry to drop his charges, pointing out that it was his own inaction that facilitated the situation. House Darry is still trying to claw back credibility after Ser Lionel, so perhaps Corrine &
Nathan could spin pushing the charges as making House Darry look bad? Just a thought. Yoeld could be to quietly arrange for some repair assistance if they pipe down?]

[Nathaniel Mason]

[OOC: I think that is good. If House Darry withdraws the charges, Corrine can spin it that they are being very 'wise and magnanimous' under the circumstances. If the charges go to judgement, everything will come out, and House Darry will look incompetent or worse, which is the opposite of what they want.

Getting them some help for the repairs should be easy enough. Both House Bracken and Blackwood have a ton of out-of-work smallfolk. I am sure both Houses would be willing to lend some idle hands to assist in the restoration if the whole thing is buried and done with.

Dropping the matter is actually the best course of action for all concerned, and it one less thing the investigation forces need to concentrate on.]

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

[ooc: Reader, how do you want this done? I appreciate that it needs to be done relatively quickly, so let me know how you'd like to do this.]

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