Aftermath D1 ME

[Yoren longshore]

The absense of authorities have led to others gathering conrtoll. Vicious mercenaries and bandits is what most lords would call them, but nobody is the villain in their own story...

Jory is approached the next morning by a large man telling him to show up at the old tollhouse right after dinner, with a warning not to be late.

Griff is asked by one of his drinking mate to come to the tollhouse to share some fine spirits that his friend has found. He is asked to come after dinner.

Maester Brant is approached the next morning by a short, rotund man with a wheezy breath begging him to come to see his friend right after dinner, at the old tollhouse, as the thick man fears for his friends health.

Ser Devyn is approached by one of the men he served next to to come to the old tollhouse to help a friend of his gather some venison for his marriage.

Daeryssa Terrick. As she leaves her house in the afternoon she sees a young, handsome, boy, a bit thin, coming from her house. He seems a bit flustered, but tells her that one of his friends would like to see her, but his friend didn't dare come himself. He asks if he can escort her to a meeting place.

Patience wakes up as one of her boys tells her that the door is being knocked on exessively hard by an old, burly man, who tells her to meet at the old tollhouse after dinner.


Everybody may either arrive or decline, as their character would wish, you'll have an event either way (a bit railroading is unfortunately needed.)
I picked a colour, but if anyone thinks another colour suits their character better, just tell me and I'll change it;
)

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

[ooc: Do we post in this thread (in our assigned colour?), or make a new thread?]

[Yoren longshore]

Just post in this thread:)

[Ayleth Bartheld]

Daeryssa blushes. Attention from the handsome young man and the romance of a meeting with her mystery admirer sets her her heart aflutter. "
I think I would like to see him..."
she begins, smiling shyly at the boy. "
Where am I to meet him?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Ser Devyn left the inn in the morning, while Daeryssa still slept, and went to the old tollhouse, equipped for a hunt. He asked that his daughter be informed of his whereabouts once she was up. Little did he know that she would have a meeting of her own.

[Kevan Lyras]

Jojen is not happy about the fact that an unknown person summons him somewhere without even giving away his name. He briefly considers not showing up, but in the end his curiosity wins over his anger. And he decides to pay a visit to the old tollhouse. He arrives just after dinner, ready for anything...

[Yoren longshore]

Daeryssa blushes. Attention from the handsome young man and the romance of a meeting with her mystery admirer sets her her heart aflutter. "
I think I would like to see him..."
she begins, smiling shyly at the boy. "
Where am I to meet him?"

The boy smiles back at Daeryssa telling her: "
Come, I'll follow you there"

Ser Devyn left the inn in the morning, while Daeryssa still slept, and went to the old tollhouse, equipped for a hunt. He asked that his daughter be informed of his whereabouts once she was up. Little did he know that she would have a meeting of her own.

As ser Devyn arrives, he is met by a jowly man with a wheezy breath introducing himself as Coren. After a few pleasantries he tells Devyn: "
I've ne'er seen a knight breaking up a fight before. When the rest of the lads comes they'll be impressed, a good heart on someone entidled is something they ha'v'n't seen before."

Jojen is not happy about the fact that an unknown person summons him somewhere without even giving away his name. He briefly considers not showing up, but in the end his curiosity wins over his anger. And he decides to pay a visit to the old tollhouse. He arrives just after dinner, ready for anything...

As Jojen arrives two burly men are positioned outside. When they see Jojen the smallest one gestures for Jojen to walk inn, without telling him any more.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Well met, Coren!"
Ser Devyn greets the man. "
I was just glad that the fellows listened to reason. Despite recent events, we are not descended into chaos just yet. Now, how many more are we expecting for our deer hunt?"

[Yoren longshore]

"
Well met, Coren!"
Ser Devyn greets the man. "
I was just glad that the fellows listened to reason. Despite recent events, we are not descended into chaos just yet. Now, how many more are we expecting for our deer hunt?"

"
Only two 'f my lads, but for the food afterwards some more will come. My wife will be cookin', her stews are good, although she's way to light handed on the salt."
Coren confides to the knight, before waving into the forest to two men with bows who were just appearing. "
You used to huntin'?"
Coren asks "
would you like to be in charge or should I tell the lads what to do?"
He asks Devyn quietly.

*You may either roll a survival (hunting) or let Coren do the honours.

[Baelon Drakeson]

Patience wakes up as one of her boys tells her that the door is being knocked on exessively hard by an old, burly man, who tells her to meet at the old tollhouse after dinner.[/i]

"
Tell 'im I'll be there."


After dinner, Patience gathers her boys.
"
Allright, let's see what the old man wants. Let me do the talkin', but be ready. Might be some folks don' want us around."


[OOC] Color-wise perhaps something a bit darker? It would be easier to read, for one thing. Maybe this color? It's one block up on the chart, #BF4040.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Ach, I'm not much of a hunter, lad. You'd be best guiding us."

[Ser Jorah Holt]

Maester Brant is approached the next morning by a short, rotund man with a wheezy breath begging him to come to see his friend right after dinner, at the old tollhouse, as the thick man fears for his friends health.

Maester Brant had just finished a lesson with the young Lord Blackwood and was preparing to head to the Septry to help with the design and rebuilding efforts there when the short rotund man

"
I should have time to take a look at your friend when I return."
he promised as climbed up on to the horse the guards had provided for him.

[Benedict Marsten]

Griff is asked by one of his drinking mate to come to the tollhouse to share some fine spirits that his friend has found. He is asked to come after dinner.

With little to else to do and his ever conscious effort to remain intoxicated, Griff gathers his few belongings. A lackadaisical gait carries him toward his destination. Muddy boots click off time along with the butt of his primiative fire-hardened spear. His bed-roll wrapped blade swings like pendulum, in his left hand.

As the sun begins it's descent the grizzled old man ascends upon the tollhouse. Calling out to his fellow. "
'ello. Am I early?"

[Kevan Lyras]

As Jojen arrives two burly men are positioned outside. When they see Jojen the smallest one gestures for Jojen to walk inn, without telling him any more.

Jojen hesitates for a moment and raises an eyebrow at the men's refusal to talk to him. He considers answering with a slur, but then decides to remain silent likewise. He shurgs his shoulders and enters the building...

[Ayleth Bartheld]

Daeryssa follows the boy, a little self-conscious. "
What's your name? I'm Daeryssa"

[Benedict Marsten]

(Ooc: I don't want to assume anything but some of us are at the same location at the same time, correct?)

[Yoren longshore]

"
Tell 'im I'll be there."


After dinner, Patience gathers her boys.
"
Allright, let's see what the old man wants. Let me do the talkin', but be ready. Might be some folks don' want us around."

Patience and her boys makes the two men standing outside the old tollhouse alarmed, but after a moment the bigger one points to the door telling them "
come on in"
.

"
Ach, I'm not much of a hunter, lad. You'd be best guiding us."

And the old man proves to be surprisingly deft with a slingshot he had tucked away in the fold of his stomach. the three men works together in a very cohesive fashion, however, it's obvious that none of them have the stamina that ser Devyn has achieved over the years, and what Devyn lacks in hunting prowess he more than makes up for with his experience in killing things. So although no hunter himself, the three men looks at ser Devyn with newfound respect after the hunt is done. When Coryn tells them "
c'n smell me wives cookin' through the forrest, we'd best git back 'fore the stew's all eat'n"
. As they walk back Coryn seems to be quite tired, and his wheezing has turned into a perpetual coughing fit.

Maester Brant had just finished a lesson with the young Lord Blackwood and was preparing to head to the Septry to help with the design and rebuilding efforts there when the short rotund man

"
I should have time to take a look at your friend when I return."
he promised as climbed up on to the horse the guards had provided for him.

Although the maester is new around the countryside he finds his way quickly, and before long he is greeted by the smell of stew, and two men sitting with their backs to the wall rolling some dice. As the maester approaches one of them rises quickly to bow to the maester. The other one remains seated, and simply tells the maester: "
Walk right in maester, they are waiting for you."

With little to else to do and his ever conscious effort to remain intoxicated, Griff gathers his few belongings. A lackadaisical gait carries him toward his destination. Muddy boots click off time along with the butt of his primiative fire-hardened spear. His bed-roll wrapped blade swings like pendulum, in his left hand.

As the sun begins it's descent the grizzled old man ascends upon the tollhouse. Calling out to his fellow. "
'ello. Am I early?"

"
No, you are just on time."
his friend tells him before adding: "
Just walk right inn, the others are in the old kitchen, just follow the smell of the stew."

Jojen hesitates for a moment and raises an eyebrow at the men's refusal to talk to him. He considers answering with a slur, but then decides to remain silent likewise. He shurgs his shoulders and enters the building...

Daeryssa follows the boy, a little self-conscious. "
What's your name? I'm Daeryssa"

"
I'm Rolan"
the boy tells her as he leads her up a small deer path. As the path comes to a stop in front of an old tollhouse in poor condition Rolan stops. "
My friend is just inside, in the kitchen"
he tells Daeryssa, before nodding to two men sitting outside. Turning towards the men he tells them: "
She is here to join Ammet for dinner."
He then turns back to Daeryssa telling her: "
He has talked about you since you arrived, he is probably waiting in the kitchen."



All thee who enters ye olde tollhouse
Inside the old tollhouse there is one door to the right, which is locked. Down the middle there is a long corridor, and as there is no light you can't see to the end of it. To the left, however, a large dining table is placed out in the middle of a room with a very clean stone floor. In a large hearth to your right a big pot is being stirred by a large ladle, wielded by a huge old woman. As you enter, she gives a brisk smile, before using the ladle to gesture at you. In a voice that is both gravelly and breathy she barks your name and tells the small wizened man at the end of the table that he has invited you. The old man rises as best he can with his hunchback and greets you by name, before he directs you to your seat. He then sits down with a sigh and continues waiting. This is repeated as all the other people file into the room, until you are a curious group of individuals indeed.
At the head of the table, at the right hand of the old man, sits Jory. The old man thanks Jory profusely for his efforts at the tavern last night, before he goes quiet, while waiting. Opposite of Jory there is a chair with several pillows on it, and the wheezy-breathed, fat man some of you know as Coren. He is swiftly supplied with some blankets from the old cook as he sits down, and she gives him a strict warning about that he should not be in physical activity any longer, loud enough for everyone to hear. Placed to the right of Jory is Maester Brant, and to the left of the fat man who is now incapable of speech because of a perpetual coughing fit, sits Patience. To her left again sits Griff, opposite of Devyn, who is to the right of Maester Brant. Next to them, at the foot end of the table, Daeryssa finds herself seated opposite of Ammet, who shows a much more goodnatured side of himself. Gone is the brute who ripped a man's arm out of it's socket. He does not seem to be dim witted when he gets to talk, and he listens attentively to Daeryssa, but every time someone makes a loud noise he startles, and spends some time to relax enough to be able to talk to Daeryssa again, interestingly the rattling cough from the head of the table gives him no pause, he seems used to that.

After everybody has been served, and the gargantuan cook has left to give Patience's boys something to eat too, the old man stirs. For a while he looks sternly upon the fat man to his left, until even his coughing stops, before he looks at all of you seated at the table.
"
You were all present yesterday, you all saw the violence that divides our lands and turns good, honest men into savages. My great grandson"
he gestures to Ammet "
would be dead if it was not for the timely intervention of these two."
He gestures to Jory and Maester Brant. "
Without the timely intervention of Patience, the tavern would be burnt to the ground, with many still inside."

With surprisingly spry steps for someone close to being fossilized walks around the table, to the foot end, right behind Daeryssas chair. "
This young lady acted properly, and simply seeing a young woman in that pit of despair reminded many a man of his manners, and that way she helped calming everything down. A lady like her can remind even the most cynical of men of their place in the world."

He then turns to Griff and Devyn: You both looked after the weak, Griff checked that my great grandson was allright, and Devyn watched her daugher, and got her out of harms way.

The old man opens his arms, encompassing the room: "
A few people of such diverse backgrounds did more for that shithole Jorrel put up, than all the might of both Brackens and Blackwoods. You should be the ones getting taxes, because you did more for us in an evening than many lords have done their entire lives. If we inform them of our problems they will either do nothing, or they will ride down into the town and take in some random innocents, hang them for the crimes, and tax the rest of us even heavier for the services they rendered."


The old man has to pause for a second to get his breath back, and Coren starts up again with his cough, not managing to stop before Ammet comes behind him and slaps him on the back with almost enough force to stun an ox.

After Ammet has sat down again the old man continues: "
As a matter of fact, I am not the only one appreciating you helping our community. All my people appreciate it, but they want to see more. We want safety, not just the make-believe stuff that the lords provide us with. I want all my family members to be able to drink without worrying about getting a dagger through the shoulder. More importantly: I am willing to pay for it. The old man gestures to Ammet, who lumbers over to a corner where he drags down a small metal box. Meanwhile the old man simply continues talking: "
We might not be able to pay in gold, but all the farms around here have given some of their wealth to do this, because they see that it is needed. We need Patience to teach discipline. We need Jory to help someone while they are down for the count, regardless of wether he will get anything in return. We need Brant to save the lives of our family members. We need Griff to fight for us. We need nobles to lead us, nobles who are not afraid to get their hands dirty, who are not afraid to hunt to get food on our tables."
He gestures around the tables: "
We need you all, but we don't need much more."


He then ends his speech telling them "
Finding out who stabbed someone of my blood is easy, I want you to find out who instigated it."

As he ends his speech his shoulders go back to slumping, and the spring he developed marching around the table dissapears. He looks worn, as if his speech has taken all his energy. "
My son will be your host for the rest of the night, and he will visit you tomorrow to ask if you are keen on aiding us. He will lead you out, you should probably discuss some of what I have told you."
he points to Coren, before he turns and exits through the door. Coren himself rises, and gestures for Ammet to follow him as he exits: "
You can find me in the room straight across the hallway when you have decided if you wish to help, for now we will leave you alone."

Ammet leaves mutely, only stopping to give Daeryssa his napkin from the meal, which he has crafted into a small paper bird.

[Ayleth Bartheld]

"
It's nice to meet you, Rolan. It was very kind of you to help your friend."
Daeryssa tells the boy. "
And kinder still to escort me. A lady shouldn't travel alone."


She takes a moment to adjust her hair before she enters the tollhouse. "
Since I arrived? I didn't realize I was so memorable"


When she enters, she walks with all the grace an poise of a well-bred young lady. But some of her poise disappears when she is surprised to be greeted by the old man. Still, she replies warmly with a smile and a curtsey. "
Thank you for inviting me, goodman. It's so very friendly of you"


Daeryssa is startled to see her father and she becomes a bit nervous, aware that she may be in trouble. She curtsies to Devyn. "
Father, I hope that your hunt went well!"
she greets him cheerfully. "
I'm sure there was a reason for not inviting me"
she adds, her tone of voice appropriate for the dutiful daughter she is but her pout making clear where she stands on the matter.

She takes her seat across from Ammet. The romance of the situation has vanished, but Daeryssa still chats with the young man, pleased to see that he has hidden depths. She tries not to startle him, seeing the effects it has. Poor fellow, he must be terribly on edge after that fight. She asks if Ammet is all right, then chatters about several topics, particularly interested in the local sights.

She is a little shy under the attention given to her by the old man's compliments, and she replies "
You are too kind. I just try to act as befits a maiden"
with maidenly modesty.
The old man's politeness doesn't last. Daeryssa is shocked by the way he spoke about nobility. One should never speak that way about your lord. It's just not done.
Of course her father would help these people and help uncover the truth behind the stabbing, she was sure. And she'd be right there with him to help.

She accepts the paper bird with a smile. "
Thank you, Ammet. The gift is most kind of you."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Ser Devyn looks dubiously between Daeryssa and the men whose attentions she has.

"
Forgive me for not bringing you out with me, my dear. You were still abed, and I did not wish to wake you. I am surprised to see you here. Which of these good people brought you here?"


His tone was friendly enough, but inside, he was tense.

[Ayleth Bartheld]

Daeryssa nods to Devyn. Her pout is a powerful weapon, but she can scarcely be angry with her father when he'd just been letting her rest. "
I suppose it's all right, but I would have liked to accompany you on the hunt, dear father."
she says cheerfully.

If only her father would let the issue of her presence go as easily. Daeryssa's gaze slides down towards the floor. "
Oh, one of the locals asked me to come here, a Rolan"
she says with forced ease. She won't lie to her father, but she doesn't want to say more than she has to, and she doesn't point out Rolan. She doesn't want to get Rolan in trouble... and she's not eager to get herself in trouble, either

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
We'll go hunting together soon, I promise,"
Ser Devyn assurrs his daughter with a kindly smile. "
Which of our company is this Rolan? You always did make friends easily,"
he adds, his tone fond, his eyes keenly curious to get the measure of this stranger.

[Baelon Drakeson]

Patience clears her throat.

"
If I may interrupt this charming family moment."

Her voice drips with sarcasm.
"
The old man want us to turn this place into a right proper peaceful town. Now, I've no problem with that, it's more'r less what I had in mind to do anyhow, but..."

She taps the lid of the metal box.
"
...if he's payin' us, that makes us beholden to him. I don't know about th' rest of you, but I'm through with dancin' at the whims o' someone who's gonna put hisself and his kin ahead of needs of the people. We got enough shitheads like that up in Raventree and Warrior's Seat."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Ser Devyn stands up, his voice forcibly steady, but his expression stern.

"
I understand that frustrations are abound, so I overlooked the previous insult to House Blackwood, but on the second, I must ask that it cease. A third, and I shall be leaving."

[Baelon Drakeson]

Patience chuckles.

"
Convince me they're deserving o' me singin' their praise an' I'll make my boys into a choir. Otherwise sit down an' shut up about it - or leave if you will. That ol' man seemed ta think you'd be o' some use ta the folk 'round here but if you can't see the hard truth o' things you aren't gonna be much use. I'll remind you my boys are between here an' the door though, so I'd be choosin' yer words wi' care. Don' worry about yer pretty little one though - unlike the noble shitheads that did in my family I won' have no part in killin' children. You have my word she's safe no matter what you do or say."

[Ayleth Bartheld]

Daeryssa smile at her father's promise and compliment, and she sheepishly points out the handsome young man who had escorted her there.

Daeryssa springs to her father's side when Patience threatens him. This woman had leaped to murder as her first option when someone disagreed with her;
obviously, she couldn't be very pleasant. She had thought her father was being a bit hasty, but this instant jump to violence shocked her. "
I would rather die with my father than throw myself on your mercy"
she say fiercely to Patience. "
'Use' to what? If you aren't planning to help the man who asked for your assistance, what are you planning to do here? And are you going to kill everyone who disagrees with that plan?"

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