Re: [Day 4, EN] We drank we fought we made our ancestors pro

[Jon Cobb]

"
Hmm, I'm glad I inspire you for being graceful in the taproom, Ser. Truly, an honor."
Dyana's smile grows jestful. "
I'm afraid my drinks are overdue and my time to leave draws nigh, but as I linger on behest of Dunstan's venison here-"
she waves the half-bitten sausage at Lord Tullison- "
you're welcome to take a seat by my side, yes."

"
The honor is all mine, m'lady,"
Jon replies with a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Taking the profferred seat and flagging a serving girl for some ale, he continues, "
Were you at the joust today, Lady Dyana? I looked for you in the stands, but if you were there you must have been cunningly disguised, for my hawk-like eyes could not find you,"
he finishes with obvious irony.

OOC: Just how drunk is Dyana, and how obvious is it? Would Jon need to make an active effort to notice?

[Dyana Marsten]

"
The honor is all mine, m'lady,"
Jon replies with a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Taking the profferred seat and flagging a serving girl for some ale, he continues, "
Were you at the joust today, Lady Dyana? I looked for you in the stands, but if you were there you must have been cunningly disguised, for my hawk-like eyes could not find you,"
he finishes with obvious irony.

OOC: Just how drunk is Dyana, and how obvious is it? Would Jon need to make an active effort to notice?

"
I was, in fact, not at the jousts, Ser. As I was telling these gentlemen here,"
Dyana waves the sausage at both Dunstan and Ben, then wolfs it down at last, "
I do not enjoy jousts overly much. I much prefer melees, if it comes to it. So, no need to blame your hawk-like eyes, I'm sure they are as sharp as ever."
The irony in her retort is just as apparent.

[OOC;
Dyana is visibly drunk, no great effort to notice, but she's not wasted. Though she won't go around sprinting in straight lines anytime soon, she's still in her right mind, with a reasonably looser tongue.]

[Dunstan Tullison]

"
Thank you Ser"
Dunstan accepts the drink and agrees with Daveth's words afterwards.

/scene?

Ser Jorah leaned in close as he handed Dunstan the drink and spoke quietly to him, so only the three of them could hear.

"
My Lord Tullison, you may wish to talk to the serving girls here. One of them has a story you should hear."

Dunstan takes the words of Ser Jorah seriously, desperate to catch any kind of trail leading to a proof of Benjen Frey's guilt.

He whispers to Ser Jorah, "
Thank you Ser. I will do just that. Your assistance will be remembered"


Standing up he announces to the crowd agathered at the table, "
It seems we are in need of more drinks!"
he says, acting like he is more drunk than he is in reality.

Making his way over to the inkeep, Masha, whom he knew well by now due to being a regular guest, and the best paying one as well, since the tourney begun.

"
Greetings Masha. I am here on a sensitive matter. Lord Tully himself charged me with investigating the case of Benjen Frey."
he says with a dash of authority in his voice, "
I will need to speak to you and the serving girls, alone, tonight. It has been pointed out to me you hold important information. I will need that informnation to bring justice in to this case"
the young Lord spoke without leaving much space for Masha to decline. Surely bringing up Lord Tully's name and his own station will make them speak, he thought.

[Reader]

[OOC: simple intrigue, TN 9]

[Jon Cobb]

"
I was, in fact, not at the jousts, Ser. As I was telling these gentlemen here,"
Dyana waves the sausage at both Dunstan and Ben, then wolfs it down at last, "
I do not enjoy jousts overly much. I much prefer melees, if it comes to it. So, no need to blame your hawk-like eyes, I'm sure they are as sharp as ever."
The irony in her retort is just as apparent.

Jon accepts Dyana's ribbing with good grace.

"
I'm surprised to hear that the joust holds no interest for you, my lady. I would have thought that a woman with your martial inclinations would be there to study the...competition, if not for any other reason. You are missing a fine show, though. There are not one, but two mystery knights riding, and both passed easily enough into the next round. One bears an argent heart tree as his device - no doubt a Blackwood or a northerner in disguise - and the other has two boulders rolling down a mountain as his coat of arms. I believe he's calling himself 'The Knight of Stones', and unless both name and device are deliberate misdirection, I'd wager he's from the Vale. Do you have any ideas who it might be? The Knight of Stones was particularly impressive. He took a lance strike from Ser Addam Tarly that could've unseated Criston Cole, and still kept his seat. That's finer riding than I could ever aspire to, that's for sure."
Sipping at his ale, Jon's tone appears to betray nothing but the interest of a professional soldier, and honest admiration for the performance of the mystery knights.

[Dunstan Tullison]

[OOC: simple intrigue, TN 9]

"
I assure you nothing will happen. We must put a stop on this, and your stories will be most useful"


[url=Persuasion][/url]: 3d6 13

[Dyana Marsten]

Jon accepts Dyana's ribbing with good grace.

"
I'm surprised to hear that the joust holds no interest for you, my lady. I would have thought that a woman with your martial inclinations would be there to study the...competition, if not for any other reason. You are missing a fine show, though. There are not one, but two mystery knights riding, and both passed easily enough into the next round. One bears an argent heart tree as his device - no doubt a Blackwood or a northerner in disguise - and the other has two boulders rolling down a mountain as his coat of arms. I believe he's calling himself 'The Knight of Stones', and unless both name and device are deliberate misdirection, I'd wager he's from the Vale. Do you have any ideas who it might be? The Knight of Stones was particularly impressive. He took a lance strike from Ser Addam Tarly that could've unseated Criston Cole, and still kept his seat. That's finer riding than I could ever aspire to, that's for sure."
Sipping at his ale, Jon's tone appears to betray nothing but the interest of a professional soldier, and honest admiration for the performance of the mystery knights.

"
Martial inclinations, right? I fight, Ser, because I need to. I admit I enjoy exercising my abilities and all that blabber, but really, it was a choice out of necessity. I battle. I wage war. But a joust, a joust is but haughty men pointing sticks at each other and trying to topple them. That catches little of my interest."
Dyana take a slight sip of her wine. "
Mystery knights might be romantic personages, but I doubt the strike would set Ser Criston from his saddle, if what I hear is true. It was probably more impressive than effective. Such is how shows go, Ser."
Her speech is a bit drowsy... not particularly drunk, but not particularly sober either.

[Reader]

[OOC: simple intrigue, TN 9]

"
I assure you nothing will happen. We must put a stop on this, and your stories will be most useful"


[url=Persuasion][/url]: 3d6 13

Masha Heedle runs her hands through her grey hair with worry.

"
Well, Lord Benjen was in his cups all knight, drinking with, Ser Theomore, 'im that won the pageant."


She doesn't seem to put together Dunstan and Theomore's relation.

"
He'd drank a lot, even for a big lad like 'im. Kept tellin' his men he was going to celebrate the hunt by 'getting his other spear wet tonight' after the day's huntin'."


"
Brenna came in weepin' later, claiming he'd forced himself on her. Might be the truth of things, might be another silly girl who regretted what she done."


"
I've no desire to get involved in the business of lords and knights, just leave me to my inn."


[OOC: 1 Dos and some nasty victim blaming from Westeros's charming culture]

[Dunstan Tullison]

"
With Ser Theomore?"
Dunstan asks quetly, mainly to himself.

"
And Brenna, where is she now? I will need to talk to her as well. Thank you for your help Masha."


OOC: If Brenna is somwhere Dunstan could see her, he'd just come over to her and ask her a few questions.

[Jon Cobb]

"
Martial inclinations, right? I fight, Ser, because I need to. I admit I enjoy exercising my abilities and all that blabber, but really, it was a choice out of necessity. I battle. I wage war. But a joust, a joust is but haughty men pointing sticks at each other and trying to topple them. That catches little of my interest."
Dyana take a slight sip of her wine.

No, Dyana, you are a fair lady of high birth. There is something in you that drives you to fight, and that is admirable, but you do not fight because you need to, you fight because you choose to.

[url=Awareness][/url]: 3d6k2 9 to determine whether Dyana seems to be telling the truth about her interest in jousting (Difficulty should equal Dyana's passive Deception)

"
Mystery knights might be romantic personages, but I doubt the strike would set Ser Criston from his saddle, if what I hear is true. It was probably more impressive than effective. Such is how shows go, Ser."
Her speech is a bit drowsy... not particularly drunk, but not particularly sober either.

"
You are right, of course, my lady, the joust is indeed but a show, but a lance strike hurts no less for that!"
Jon laughs good-naturedly. "
Well, the smallfolk may find mystery knights romantic, but in my experience their reasons for concealing their identities tend to be much more prosaic. I've seen mystery knights who turned out to be common outlaws looking to make a few stags from ransoms;
knights who wished to fight for a cause they dare not represent in public;
boys trying their hands at a man's game. That usually ends badly, as it did last year for poor Joren Coldbrook at the Twins."


Suddenly Jon stops and gives Dyana an questioning look, a mischievous smile spreading across his features. He motions her to lean forward and, in a low voice, says, "
I just had the most interesting thought! Did you know that you're not the only fighting woman in attendance at the tourney? The Coldbrooks have a wonderful young guardswoman, Loreia by name, whom I hade the pleasure of chatting with two nights ago in this very taproom. She's something of an animal lover and, so I gathered, a very fine rider. And being in the personal guard of Lord Tomas, I know that she'll be a fierce fighter as well. You know, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the knight with the argent heart tree device turns out to be her!"


At that thought, Jon's expression suddenly grows concerned. "
If it is her, I hope she understands what a risk she's taking. One of the men the heart tree knight unhorsed was none other than Benjen Frey, and he's not the sort to take kindly to being defeated - especially if his conqueror turns out to be a woman! There are some ugly, ugly rumors going around about that man, and no matter how well Loreia fights, it won't help if the 'Ferocious Frey' comes after her. If he wants vengeance, he'll make sure he brings enough men with him to get it."


"
Ugh, but these are grim thoughts on such a pleasant evening. Suffice to say that Benjen Frey is just the tip of the spear. There's many a knight who'd not take defeat at the hands of a woman graciously, no matter how fair the fight. A sad testament to the state of the world, but there it is. You are right Dyana - you are waging a war, and it will take more than cold steel to win it. So, a toast to you, m'lady, for the path you have chosen takes courage beyond the measure of us mere men!"
Raising his mug high, Jon drains it in a single gulp, finishing with a loud burp. "
Aaah! That's better!"

[Dyana Marsten]

[url=Awareness][/url]: 3d6k2 9 to determine whether Dyana seems to be telling the truth about her interest in jousting (Difficulty should equal Dyana's passive Deception)

Though her nonchalant measurement of what jousting amounts to may be accurate enough, an attentive observer might notice, through small hints such as the motion of her eyes and the flicker of her voice, even through the haze of alcohol, that it might not all be the truth. And Jon is an attentive observer tonight.

"
You are right, of course, my lady, the joust is indeed but a show, but a lance strike hurts no less for that!"
Jon laughs good-naturedly. "
Well, the smallfolk may find mystery knights romantic, but in my experience their reasons for concealing their identities tend to be much more prosaic. I've seen mystery knights who turned out to be common outlaws looking to make a few stags from ransoms;
knights who wished to fight for a cause they dare not represent in public;
boys trying their hands at a man's game. That usually ends badly, as it did last year for poor Joren Coldbrook at the Twins."


Suddenly Jon stops and gives Dyana an questioning look, a mischievous smile spreading across his features. He motions her to lean forward and, in a low voice, says, "
I just had the most interesting thought! Did you know that you're not the only fighting woman in attendance at the tourney? The Coldbrooks have a wonderful young guardswoman, Loreia by name, whom I hade the pleasure of chatting with two nights ago in this very taproom. She's something of an animal lover and, so I gathered, a very fine rider. And being in the personal guard of Lord Tomas, I know that she'll be a fierce fighter as well. You know, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the knight with the argent heart tree device turns out to be her!"


At that thought, Jon's expression suddenly grows concerned. "
If it is her, I hope she understands what a risk she's taking. One of the men the heart tree knight unhorsed was none other than Benjen Frey, and he's not the sort to take kindly to being defeated - especially if his conqueror turns out to be a woman! There are some ugly, ugly rumors going around about that man, and no matter how well Loreia fights, it won't help if the 'Ferocious Frey' comes after her. If he wants vengeance, he'll make sure he brings enough men with him to get it."


"
Ugh, but these are grim thoughts on such a pleasant evening. Suffice to say that Benjen Frey is just the tip of the spear. There's many a knight who'd not take defeat at the hands of a woman graciously, no matter how fair the fight. A sad testament to the state of the world, but there it is. You are right Dyana - you are waging a war, and it will take more than cold steel to win it. So, a toast to you, m'lady, for the path you have chosen takes courage beyond the measure of us mere men!"
Raising his mug high, Jon drains it in a single gulp, finishing with a loud burp. "
Aaah! That's better!"

Dyana winces a bit at the mention of Joren Coldbrook, but any response she might have had to this topic of conversation is quickly dispelled by Jon's change in demeanor and tone. "
Oh, Loreia."
She blinks, and frowns slightly, seemingly annoyed. She then mouths a slice of venison, chews it down and sips some wine, and her expression eases. "
I've met her, not long ago, actually. Seemed like a nice woman. I've been hearing about her - seems like the men here make a point of mentioning her to me. I wonder if the contrary is also true, and the guardswoman is constantly reminded of my presence in the tourney."


The woman hears some more of the Anvil whatever knight's theory, then shakes her head. "
Well, Ser. You might as well be wrong, too. There is no certainty that the woman Loreia is the argent heart tree knight, and even if she is jousting under a shroud, she could very well be the other mystery knight."
Dyana nods, more to herself than to anyone else. "
You said it yourself, that his sigil could be a fabrication, a misdirection, or merely of a meaning we're failing to guess."
She finishes, cutting another piece of meat as she hears the rest of Jon's words.

She rises to his toast, but does not match his strong gulping, taking another simple sip instead - tempering the amount she's drinking, most likely, as the hour is late and her senses already numbed. She'd smiled at his words and praise, but the uncouth burping gives her pause, and the smirk fades. Jon's breath didn't smell particularly incredibly either, and she stares at him with an amalgamation of surprise and disgust.

Before bursting into laughter. The Marsten's mirth echoes loudly through the tavern for several moments, and even as it fades she wipes tears from her eyes. "
O, Ser, you slay me...!"
she manages to say before the chuckles consume her speech once more.

[Jon Cobb]

Though her nonchalant measurement of what jousting amounts to may be accurate enough, an attentive observer might notice, through small hints such as the motion of her eyes and the flicker of her voice, even through the haze of alcohol, that it might not all be the truth. And Jon is an attentive observer tonight.

Jon allows himself a private smile as he listens to Dyana disparage the noble art of jousting. Methinks the lady doth protest too much...

Dyana winces a bit at the mention of Joren Coldbrook, but any response she might have had to this topic of conversation is quickly dispelled by Jon's change in demeanor and tone. "
Oh, Loreia."
She blinks, and frowns slightly, seemingly annoyed. She then mouths a slice of venison, chews it down and sips some wine, and her expression eases. "
I've met her, not long ago, actually. Seemed like a nice woman. I've been hearing about her - seems like the men here make a point of mentioning her to me. I wonder if the contrary is also true, and the guardswoman is constantly reminded of my presence in the tourney."

"
Oh, you've met?"
Jon looks slightly crestfallen, as if he had secretly been hoping to be the one to introduce them. "
Well, you must forgive us men cackling like hens about yourself and Loreia. It is a rare treat to meet one fighting woman - two at the same time is unheard of!"

The woman hears some more of the Anvil whatever knight's theory, then shakes her head. "
Well, Ser. You might as well be wrong, too. There is no certainty that the woman Loreia is the argent heart tree knight, and even if she is jousting under a shroud, she could very well be the other mystery knight."
Dyana nods, more to herself than to anyone else. "
You said it yourself, that his sigil could be a fabrication, a misdirection, or merely of a meaning we're failing to guess."
She finishes, cutting another piece of meat as she hears the rest of Jon's words.

"
Of course I could be wrong, but I will maintain that the idea is not wholly implausible, even in the face of your elegant counters,"
Jon answers with an ironic little smile, but he quickly turns serious again. "
At any rate, it would be better that I am wrong. I am loath to see a friend harmed for no better reason than to salve Benjen Frey's injured pride."

She rises to his toast, but does not match his strong gulping, taking another simple sip instead - tempering the amount she's drinking, most likely, as the hour is late and her senses already numbed. She'd smiled at his words and praise, but the uncouth burping gives her pause, and the smirk fades. Jon's breath didn't smell particularly incredibly either, and she stares at him with an amalgamation of surprise and disgust.

Before bursting into laughter. The Marsten's mirth echoes loudly through the tavern for several moments, and even as it fades she wipes tears from her eyes. "
O, Ser, you slay me...!"
she manages to say before the chuckles consume her speech once more.

"
I very much hope that I will never need to do that, m'lady,"
Jon answers with mock seriousness. "
Now, if you'll allow me a final imposition, when you've had your fill for the evening, would you do me the honor of joining me for a walk back to the pavilions? It's late, I'm a bit drunk, and a man I met in Lys once told me that the night is dark, and full of terrors! Knowing that your strong swordarm walks beside me in the dark would be a comfort to this old soldier."
For all that his request is cloaked in good-natured irony, there's an undercurrent of genuine concern in Jon's voice.

Come on girl, say yes. I don't care how good you are with that sword, no woman who's been drinking like you have should be walking home alone in the dark. There's far too many rats out and about, looking for easy pickings.

OOC:

Jon's breath didn't smell particularly incredibly

No fair! Jon brushes his teeth at least once a month!

[Dyana Marsten]

"
Oh, you've met?"
Jon looks slightly crestfallen, as if he had secretly been hoping to be the one to introduce them. "
Well, you must forgive us men cackling like hens about yourself and Loreia. It is a rare treat to meet one fighting woman - two at the same time is unheard of!"

"
Meh."
Dyana shrugs, swirling her wine and looking into it. "
You get used to it after ten or so years."

"
Of course I could be wrong, but I will maintain that the idea is not wholly implausible, even in the face of your elegant counters,"
Jon answers with an ironic little smile, but he quickly turns serious again. "
At any rate, it would be better that I am wrong. I am loath to see a friend harmed for no better reason than to salve Benjen Frey's injured pride."

"
Naturally. Though I wouldn't be opposed to be harmed, myself, to see Benjen Frey injured in more than pride."
She says matter-of-factly. "
Men such as him disgust me. Just the thought nearly spoils my appetite."
She cuts a slice of venison and begins to bring it up to her mouth. "
Nearly."

"
I very much hope that I will never need to do that, m'lady,"
Jon answers with mock seriousness. "
Now, if you'll allow me a final imposition, when you've had your fill for the evening, would you do me the honor of joining me for a walk back to the pavilions? It's late, I'm a bit drunk, and a man I met in Lys once told me that the night is dark, and full or terrors! Knowing that your strong swordarm walks beside me in the dark would be a comfort to this old soldier."
For all that his request is cloaked in good-natured irony, there's an undercurrent of genuine concern in Jon's voice.

Dyana considers Jon with attention, as if seeing him for the first time. Her brow furrows slightly as she fights the fog of ale and wine to properly focus her thoughts and consider the offer. "
You do yourself credit, Ser."
She says with seriousness, the taint of alcohol slightly diminished in her speech. The woman stares for a moment longer, but her frown vanishes and she smiles before drinking the little wine still in her glass almost to its entirety. "
I've nearly had my fill, so I'll take up that offer. Once I'm done with this fine, fine slab of venison, then we'll go."
She nods thankfully at him.

OOC:

No fair! Jon brushes his teeth at least once a month!

It's been four weeks, then, I reckon!

About this walk back to the pavilion... do you want to roleplay that out, or is it merely a way to /scene?

[Jon Cobb]

OOC:

About this walk back to the pavilion... do you want to roleplay that out, or is it merely a way to /scene?

Jon's said all that I intended to say, so now it's up to you how Dyana interprets things once she's sobered up a little. Hopefully she's at least beginning to clue into the fact that Jon likes her well enough that he's taken a genuine interest in her well-being. So with that said, we can just /scene.

[Dyana Marsten]

Then, after some more small chat and just a little bit more of drinking, they went off into the night, the gallant Ser escorting the lady back to her tent before making it to his own!

Dyana would also say her thanks and goodbyes to Dunstan and Benedict.

[final result: Amiable disposition with Dunstan, Ben and Jon]

/scene

[Daveth Coldbrook]

"
With Ser Theomore?"
Dunstan asks quetly, mainly to himself.

"
And Brenna, where is she now? I will need to talk to her as well. Thank you for your help Masha."


OOC: If Brenna is somwhere Dunstan could see her, he'd just come over to her and ask her a few questions.

Daveth makes his way over to Lord Tullison. "
Lord Tullison. I would like to offer my assistance in your noble endeavour here. Both as a return gesture of friendship, and because of the justice of your cause."
and because you're very direct and straightforward, and I think that is not what is required when speaking with Brenna.

[Reader]

"
With Ser Theomore?"
Dunstan asks quietly, mainly to himself.

"
And Brenna, where is she now? I will need to talk to her as well. Thank you for your help Masha."


OOC: If Brenna is somwhere Dunstan could see her, he'd just come over to her and ask her a few questions.

Brenna is a shy looking brown haired women. She's only willing to talk to Dunstan in a corner of the will lit inn - out of earshot, but within the eye-line of her friends.

[OOC: Simple intrigue TN 13]

[Dunstan Tullison]

Dunstan looks at Daveth,

"
Yes, thank you, any help is welcomed in this investigation. Let us start by talking to the unfortunate victim"
he says and start walking slowly toward her.

OOC: If you don't mind, you roll, I'll assist.

[Daveth Coldbrook]

(OOC: Not at all. Now we just hope I don't screw up. )

Daveth nods. "
If you don't mind, I suggest you stand a step behind me. If you're beside, it may come across as us trapping her in the corner, which might make her nervous."


Daveth gently moves over to Brenna, a reassuring smile on his face. "
Brenna? My name is Daveth, and this is Lord Dunstan. We are both appalled over what has been done to you, and are determined to see justice done. But, while I understand it will be deeply upsetting to you, we have to hear exactly what happened when that evening to do so. So please, if you would, take your time, and tell us what happened."


[url=Getting Brenna's testimony (TN13, +1 from assist)][/url]: 4d6+1 11
(Well, nuts. Two 1s and a 2. And I'm down to a single DP, so can't really afford to spend one here. Well, at least I didn't crit fail. Hopefully she's just too upset now, and we can try again tomorrow? Sorry, Lord Dunstan.)

[Dunstan Tullison]

OOC: Can I use a DP? No prob, curse of castle Greenwald:)

[Loreia]

*Yes! Do eet!*

[Daveth Coldbrook]

(OOC: We should note, he decided not to as Ser Theomore managed to get the testimony in a different thread.)

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