Epilogue sign-up thread ("deadline" 26th May 2017 - but late arrivals welcome)

[Reader]

Hello everyone,

Please post here if you'd like to discuss some mechanics and narrative to wrap up your character's story and determine their impact on the civil war, noting in particular any key issues you want to tie up (Nemesis resolved, plots attempted, canon battles you'd like to attend etc).

I'll give out a bit of experience for story 3 and then we can do some roleplay and rolling to see how your story ends.

I'm setting a "deadline" to sign up by the 26th of May 2017 - late arrivals are welcome, but this lets me plan events and what happens to key NPCs. If you're late you can still have an impact on matters, but others may have already decided the fate of a particular NPC/battle/negotiation etc.

[Theomore Tullison]

Theo has a laundry list, although might be more fun to work out that part narratively.

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Like I mentioned in the other thread, I'm pretty happy with how my personal story turned out, but I am interested in seeing what impact we have on the war - especially my marriage to Black Aly (meaning she doesn't marry Lord Stark at the end of the war - unless Daveth dies during and she remarries, of course), interesting to see how that changes things.

Edit: In terms of specific objectives for the war:
1) If we have a child, use House Coldbrook's massive financial strength to 'persuade' House Tully to either defer indefinitely or cancel the fostering plan.
2) Armies march on their stomachs.  Use more of our wealth to continue to build up our food production/storage.
3) Funnel the rest of our money towards our military (dad will be happy ).  The plan with the Engineer I mentioned ages ago is still valid (reminder here - private forum link).
4) Just to note, as a pretty immediate-term thing, that we do want to persuade House Stark to take in Ser Jorah's family, to better protect them.  I was going to do this as part of the wedding, after showing the play lionising their progenitor (which would hopefully soften them up somewhat).
5) Try and keep Houses Snowbrook and Drakeson alive.  And us, obviously.

Aly's objectives are basically:
1) Win battles, keeping friendly casualties down as much as possible.
2) Large forces moving openly are dragon-fodder.  Don't be dragon fodder.
3) Survive.

Should the Greens win, but we survive:
Emphasise that, while we may have been Black, we were firstly loyal subjects of the realm, having 'reached across the isle' before when in the realm's best interests.  Further emphasise that significant rebuilding is required, which requires coin, which I have a talent with/capacity for (depending on how badly our lands were damaged).  Appeal to pragmatism that us keeping our lands, funnelling money to where it's needed for rebuilding, is what's best for the realm.  Buy them off, basically.

Should the Blacks win, and we survive:
Use our finances to rebuild, and help other houses rebuild, to build up a strong web of friendly houses, increasing our influence.
...And then likely lose all that influence and then some, implementing my 'Unchained' plan (private forum link), if it is at all possible.  Because fuck you, canon.

[Reader]

Like I mentioned in the other thread, I'm pretty happy with how my personal story turned out, but I am interested in seeing what impact we have on the war - especially my marriage to Black Aly (meaning she doesn't marry Lord Stark at the end of the war - unless Daveth dies during and she remarries, of course), interesting to see how that changes things.

Indeed, you've had a full and proper character arc. Delighted things went on long enough to see this through.

I too am interested in seeing the impact of the various changes made to canon before the war even begins - we've had deaths, marriages, character influencing events occurring to some royals etc.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Hehe, I think part of my whole deal was that Gwyn accomplished so much of what she wanted early on, I always had trouble thinking 'what's next?' for her. That's reflective of my own small thinking though.

She doesn't have a grand scheme at the moment beyond more of what she's been doing all along. But to break things down a bit:

- Gwyn wants to build Drakeson into a mercantile hub...a place where goods from the North, Southron and Essos all meet and mingle. And 'goods' means information as well as actual merchandise. Building markets and hiring guards with the hand in daylight...and continuing to build her network of spies and informants with the hand behind her back.

- She would like to look deeper into the matter of her father's flight to Essos, and the events that unfolded around him there. She doesn't think he's alive still, but would like to know what happened to him. This includes what happened here in Westeros; what led up to his leaving.

- She's all-in on helping Baelon earn the recognition of his father as well, both out of personal loyalty and the belief that it would elevate the influence and recognition of her House.

- And of course, even with all that, she wants to be involved with bringing up her son.

So! No problem, right? (^_^)

[Reader]

Your list looks good, posts like this are very welcome - they help spark ideas or remind me of things I might have missed.

Of your items:

1) Comes up naturally in the civil war - there were some seeds laid in previous rumours that will be flowering in the civil war.
2) I had plans for this so it will be nice to tie this off.
3) Prince Daemon plays some part in the civil war, so there's a reasonable chance he comes up.
4) Will hopefully come up as a tension with one of the above, or even as a cruel reward if House Drakeson does too well, your son will likely be fostered in the Royal Household. Or things go badly but not too badly, a hostage against good behaviour.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Hahaha! So evil. Awesome.

[Baelon Drakeson]

Baelon could have gone in so many directions.

The initial plan was to go to the dragonmont with Rhaena to try and bond with Vermithor and Silverwing.
A later plan was to become a noted general, and leading the Black forces out of the Riverlands alongside the Tullys.
A yet later plan was to conquer the Stepstones in the name of the Princess, and become a sea power of significance.

Basically, become important enough to make recognition by Daemon advantageous for the Blacks, earn the Princess's trust (or at least acceptance), and shut up Ser Lorent without having to shut his mouth in a permanent manner.

During the dance... well, I was always making up his path as I went along, so I'm not really sure what he would be doing. It would depend a lot on what he managed to do before.
After the dance... same thing. Maybe Master of Ships, and/or holding the Stepstones as the newly created Warden of the Sea.

Really, even more than Baelon's future, I'd love to see how the various Dornish plots play out, and find out all the secrets still surrounding the Wildfire plot...

[Reader]

Prologues to the Dance are welcome too, particularly if there are plot points from the campaign that you'd like to tie up. As you note, resolving these can also set things up nicely for the dance.

[Theomore Tullison]

Theomore's entire play is actually as stated IC someplace, make it so that when king incompetent kicks the bucket, the dragons will be needed as far away from his home as he can make it. Entire thing with the Lannisters is to alienate them from the greens, spectacular success would be them getting kicked out of the council in favor of the Redwynes or something. His good friend Lord Alayne Tarly of Wyl? That's a stunt solely designed to piss off Storm's End and drive them into the black fold. And Downtime priority after chapter 3 would be the murder Lord Tully, after that I'm thinking that the next step is to make Lady Tully frame Eoric, followed up by trial by combat where Alayne stands for Lady Tully, Harbyn Baratheon just happens to be there...guess what happens, but oh, did someone pour poison into Heartbane's scabbard? The entire play here being to ensure that House Tully is sufficiently crippled (which may involve a dagger in the back of Lady Tully at some point.) to make the Riverlands seem passive and someplace not yet worth worrying about. Which probably leads to canon situation of Riverrun holding back it's forces and vassals in the dance.

Everything going his way, Criston Cole and Aemond would be going to Storm's End rather than Harrenhaal. Then he may have a hand in the succession of childless Lord Forrest Frey, likely involving whichever cousin takes the place (probably a more bookish and not very warlike one, or maybe just the most ruthless) getting betrothed/married to little Margaery. Further down the line, Unwin Peake with friends might give him the white elephant named Harrenhaal to keep him on their side, but otherwise busy, a suggestion originating from him most likely. And then he does the unthinkable and tears down most of it, selling off loads of good stone, and in the end has a castle that while twice as formidable as anything else in the Riverlands, won't bankrupt the owner.

Mushroom's memoirs will probably mention him as a green cloaked man with the blackest of hearts.

[Loreia]

Loreia's plans are pretty straightforward. She intends to marry and own land, forming her own tearaway house of knights (mainland Mormonts, basically) and continue to serve loyally sworn to House Coldbrook, and do what she does best to elevate their Influence and Power and by extension, that of her own knightly house.

Would have been interesting to be a certain Kingsguard's secret lover and make a bastard. Just saying...

I was looking forward to Lord Cregan Stark calling his banners and joining the Winter Wolves in the Battle at the Eyrie, where I would try to kill Criston Cole in single combat.

Before: own land, marry
During: Criston Cole's (or the Shieldmaiden's) Bane
After: loyal service till the day I die (if I survived the Dance)

[Reader]

A perfect example of the kind of thing I'm after Loreia, and plays well in to ongoing story (lots of Greens are gunning for you) and canon (Ser Criston Cole issuing his unanswered challenge before his death).

[Davain Bartheld]

Honestly I want a real game of thrones type ending for Davain. Of course Ayleth would have some say in this since she stuck with the game and I don't want my final actions for Davain to affect what she wants for her character, but he what I have in mind

At some point before or a little after the start of story 3 Davain realizes that he wasn't made for the Great Game and retires to Hart House to manage the House as best as he can in order to set his son up for greatness (Maybe he stays in the Step Stones to fight, but does nothing note worthy.), but would never be able to resolve the issue with Fendrel. He would let Ayelth do her dealings in his name while he stays at home. The map of the sword would be book cased for a future Lord of Bartheld to decide what to do with it. When the dance begins, Davain would ride out with his men and join the Greens. At some battle Davain would lead a desperate last stand as the Green forces are retreating. Davain would perish, whether it be a heroic last stand or a dagger in the back by Fendrel.

To sum it all up (pending what Ayleth wants)

Before: Davain remains at home to manage the house, accomplishing nothing noteworthy. The issue with Fendrel is never resolved
During: Davain fights for the Greens. Be it some battle or Fendrels dagger, Davain dies.
After: Davain is finally at peace, his legacy dependent upon how he dies.

[Reader]

Honestly I want a real game of thrones type ending for Davain. Of course Ayleth would have some say in this since she stuck with the game and I don't want my final actions for Davain to affect what she wants for her character, but he what I have in mind

At some point before or a little after the start of story 3 Davain realizes that he wasn't made for the Great Game and retires to Hart House to manage the House as best as he can in order to set his son up for greatness (Maybe he stays in the Step Stones to fight, but does nothing note worthy.), but would never be able to resolve the issue with Fendrel. He would let Ayelth do her dealings in his name while he stays at home. The map of the sword would be book cased for a future Lord of Bartheld to decide what to do with it.  When the dance begins, Davain would ride out with his men and join the Greens. At some battle Davain would lead a desperate last stand as the Green forces are retreating. Davain would perish, whether it be a heroic last stand or a dagger in the back by Fendrel.

To sum it all up (pending what Ayleth wants)

Before: Davain remains at home to manage the house, accomplishing nothing noteworthy. The issue with Fendrel is never resolved
During: Davain fights for the Greens. Be it some battle or Fendrels dagger, Davain dies.
After: Davain is finally at peace, his legacy dependent upon how he dies.

I think we can pitch the right events for this and give it some emotional heft. As you note, fits the tone of the source material too.

[Reader]

I'm setting a "deadline" to sign up by the 26th of May 2017 - late arrivals are welcome, but this lets me plan events and what happens to key NPCs. If you're late you can still have an impact on matters, but others may have already decided the fate of a particular NPC/battle/negotiation etc.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Need anything more from me?

[Reader]

Need anything more from me?

No pressure to add more, but additional comments/ideas are always welcome.

[Ereth Redwain]

Ereth would just focus on raising his House to prominence and fight in the Riverlands alongside lord Forrest, and hopefully save him to increase power and influence within the Riverlands.

Cementing a new house takes a lot.

[Reader]

Ereth would just focus on raising his House to prominence and fight in the Riverlands alongside lord Forrest, and hopefully save him to increase power and influence within the Riverlands.

Cementing a new house takes a lot.

Let's see if House Redwain flourishes or falls in the Dance.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Okay, one thing to add.

Gwyn has these two things going in parallel right now. There's House Drakeson, and there's the Nightengale. They both support one another, but they're also both 'escape clauses' for the other, should one go bad.

Which is to say that if someone hunts down her network and outplays her in the spy game, she cuts ties and plays innocent and is just Lady Drakeson.

If things go really super bad and House Drakeson falls...but she somehow survives...then she goes full-time Nightengale, with a big time vendetta against whoever was behind it.

If she has to choose between the two, she'd choose Drakeson.

One thing she's been toying with is making 'the Nightengale' a kind of figure, rather than just a code name. Thinking of her costume from the ball, spiffed up with some clever tricks that might look like magic to the superstitious, but are really just things gleaned from the Maester (flashy powders and cold-burning flames and similar tomfoolry) presented with some showmanship.

She'd kind of like the Nightengale network to be in some ways like House Drakeson...a thing that will outlive her. Something that can be passed on, with a few secrets and instructions to her successor.


...that may have been more than one thing.

[Reader]

The above all sounds grand. Indeed, mapping out success/failure options is sensible and leads to a better story.

Aiming to get to this on the weekend, last weekend was taken up with GenCon stuff.

[Reader]

Also, 40XP and 1 Destiny points to everyone to prepare themselves for the finale. No punches will be pulled, glory, tragedy or a mixture of the two beckons.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gleep. You just gave us a pre-boss room to stock up on, eh?

Now I'm a little scared.

[Ser Walton Dulver]

If there is still planned something to wrap up, You can count Walton in :-)

[Reader]

Gleep. You just gave us a pre-boss room to stock up on, eh?

Now I'm a little scared.

At least you're interpreting it the right way.

Always good when something that players are clamouring for makes them nervous instead!

Walton, delighted to have you involved in the finale - the storming the walls event at a siege and a duel or two against famous Black supporters?

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