[Day 1, LE]Can a frozen heart be thawed?[Closed]

[Theomore Tullison]

Mingling around in the great hall as is his wont for such occasions, Theomore finds himself near the Marstens just as Ser Marcus is told to escort the lady Corrine back to their camp, a chance presents itself that no opportunist like him would pass up on. While lady Marsten's demeanor may put off many that might otherwise wish to have words, Theomore merely views such as a challenge. Why exactly he steps forward with a flourish and a respectful bow, he could not answer truthfully if anyone asks, least of all to himself. But this particular woman is interesting beyond a doubt, and getting to know interesting women is a favorite past-time of Theomore's, ranking below getting to know sweet and innocent girls to be sure, but variation is always welcome.

"
My lady Isobel."
his words are delivered with the confidence of a decade attending court. He straightens up awaiting her reply.

[Reader]

If the singers are right, Lady Isobel Marsten was once a great beauty. But then, isn't every powerful woman either a great beauty or hideous hag, at least according to singers?

The Lady Isobel that stands before Ser Theomore is more handsome than beautiful, a striking figure in a light purple gown, partially covered by the skin of some great mountain beast to ward against the evening chill.

"
Ser Theomore,"
Lady Isobel offers a curtsey as deep as etiquette requires and no deeper. "
You have grown some since you were last in the Vale."


Isobel is far too well mannere to repeat any scare stories she has heard from the Royces...

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Just a small foot since I departed Runestone as a squire, my lady."
Theomore responds, cheerily holding up his thumb and pointer finger to show that he only had grown "
some"
, there was this tournament in Gulltown not too many years ago, but no need to ruin the mood with such minutiae. "
Half a life ago, too, and then half that time again."

[Reader]

"
You have not fallen far from the mountains Ser Theomore. House Tullison's lands are almost as rugged as some of the highest fiefs of House Arryn."


A kind smile.

"
Have the years been kind to you? We hear too little news in the heavens."


By Lady Isobel's formidable political reputation, this was not entirely true.

[Theomore Tullison]

"
I would say most of them, my lady"
Theomore needs to chew on that one before he can answer, and in that moment, Isobel seems a striking resemblance of his own mother, and a certain feeling creeps up in him that Theomore knows that he must suppress or all sorts of things will go wrong. "
Though I returned to Mountain's Reach a newly minted knight of seven and ten finding my sister-in-law a widow, having a boy of four and a girl of two to care for on her own. And lady Moraine had all her brothers as well as husband to grieve for as well."
A story quite close to Isobel's own, Theomore knows, a topic that broached might lead to places it ought not. Yet he does it anyway against his own warnings. "
Not the homecoming I envisioned when I left for Bronzegate."


OOC: Might pull out the intrigue planned here? Not likely to follow the text, but eh.

[url=initiative][/url]: 4d6 13
Disposition: Indifferent, DR 4
Objective: "
Friendship"

Intrigue Defense: 10
Composure 9

[Reader]

{OOC: we're going to experiment with crunching the intrigue behind the scenes first then roleplaying it out in this thread. We'll see how it works]

Lady Isobel, a veteran of the courts, seems to sense Ser Theomore's unease and seizes the initiative.

The conversation winds this way and that as Lady Isobel delves in to the intervening years. If an observer didn't know better, they would say Lady Isobel seemed to be playing on Ser Theomore's unease.

initiative: [url=Status (Initiative)][/url]: 5d6+2 20
Disposition: Indifferent, DR 4
Objective: ???
Intrigue Defense: 13
Composure 12

Action: http://orokos.com/roll/273011

Result: 2 DoS x4 = 8-4 DR = 4 damage to composure

[Theomore Tullison]

Theomore's unease was merely a feint to lull Isobel into a false sense of comfort that he expertly takes advantage of by empathizing with her plight of her deceased sons and husbands, using the situation of his own sister-in-law to relate.

Iniative 13
Disposition: Indifferent, DR 4
Objective: "
Friendship"

Intrigue Defense: 10
Composure 5(9)

[url=Deceptive Charm][/url]: 5d6k4+3 eeeh, what the heck, let's pop out a destiny point for 28

Result: 4 DoS x 4=16 -4 DR = 12 damage to composure.

[Reader]

Lady Isobel had not bandied words with such a wordsmith in some time, and found herself overcome in the initial exchanges, but gradually found her footing in proceedings. Iron courtesy and Marsten good manners would be her shield.

Initiative: Status (Initiative): 5d6+2 20
Disposition: Indifferent, DR 4
Objective: ???
Intrigue Defence: 13
Composure 4 (12)

Action: Spend a DP to cancel Ser Theomore's.

[url=Persuade (Charm)][/url]: 6d6k4 21

Result: 4 influence x 3 DoS = 12 - 4 DR = 8 damage to composure.

[Theomore Tullison]

Iniative 13
Disposition: Indifferent, DR 4
Objective: "
Friendship"

Intrigue Defense: 10
Composure 3(9), frustration 2

Take 2 frustration, offer yield (non-action): Theomore raises disposition towards Isobel by 1.

[Reader]

[OOC: Sold American! Happy to continue roleplay, but below gives a feel for the exchange and future threads. Please note the change in your personal forum]

Back and soft they talked, this was a worth foe indeed!

Despite his roguish nature, Theomore found himself with a begrudging respect for Lady Isobel. For her part, she was glad to escape a duel of words with a man whose character she felt more familiar with now, and who she felt able to make use of.

[Theomore Tullison]

OOC: Well, last words actually spoken was Theomore's.

[Reader]

"
Ah, Ser Theomore, it is has been a fine thing to see the man you have grown to. I look forward to watching you tilt at the tourney."


Lady Isobel offers a polite curtsey.

"
I fear the night draws on Ser Theomore, I have matters to attend to among my subjects."

[Theomore Tullison]

OOC: Uh, wait what? When did they leave the hall?

[Reader]

[Edited, misread something]

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Then do not let me keep you any longer, my lady."
Now that was a lady with a large and intricate L Theomore observes to himself as she leaves. What if? No, that was a line of questioning best perished before it ever took chance to hold. But the challenge...oh, yes. The challenge would be immense.

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