[D4, LA]Sabotage![Inquire for invitation]

[Theomore Tullison]

[Thread open to: Theomore, Dunstan, and whoever might accompany Dunstan if he does show. Possibly openings to others if they ask nicely, it's a public enough area that when things starts happening, attention will be called to it.]

"
Roland!"
Theomore approached his nephew's stand-in for a squire. "
Lord Dunstan's plate was bulked, please go find master Alyard and tell him to prepare the breastplate stretcher."
Having refined his skill at pranks for twice as many years as Roland had seen, and then half again, Theomore is convincing enough to make the boy do as bid, or maybe it was his sense of duty, obeying the weirdest sort of command. Probably both? Probably both. On his heels, Raff enters as disturbingly quiet and hard to spot with the eye as was his custom.

When Roland is gone, they start "
inspecting"
Dunstan's horse.

"
There was something odd about his gait, ser"
Raff offers. Theomore nods and motions for him to check it out further. They keep talking about what possibly could have caused it, all the while being very, very cautious as to place their bodies in the way of any curious eyes. Roland eventually makes his way back his eyes not telling a story about liking what just had happened. Theomore gives him a bit of a guilty looks and his hands makes a sign of apology. "
It's good that you are back, I need you to take a look at this."
He holds up the left front hoof of the horse, showing a shoe that wasn't quite like it was supposed to be, even a boy like Roland would know that it could easily lead to a broken leg in a gallop, and for certain, the horse would be hard pressed to properly get it's footing under these conditions. "
I already sent for Dunstan, I need you to find Ser Fredryk Vance for me and bring him here."
Raff had went to find Dunstan, they both agreed that he ought not be seen once this particular play was to reach it's climax.

[url=Cheating with Raff assist][/url]: 5d6k4+5 17

[Reader]

Ser Fredryk Vance approached warily, fearing one of Ser Theomore's schemes, but determined to treat the case on its merits.

Afterall, that Roland boy who'd fetched him seemed keen and honest at least, which helped alleviate his scepticism. Albeit, the boy was a little bit quiet and credulous...

"
What goes Ser Theomore? I still had the last few matches to see to. Make it quick."


He stroked his luxuriant moustache as he waited for Theomore's tale...

[Dunstan Tullison]

Dunstan barely recognized Raff, but when he told him what the fuss was about the young lord rushed straight down from the bleachers back to the tourney grounds!

"
Uncle! What is that of my armor and horse? I could've swore something ain't right"
he says and looks at the hooves, "
Who in the right name could tamper with my gear?"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
I was rather curious about that myself, my lord."
Theomore stands aside so that Ser Fredryk might join Dunstan in having a look. "
So I examined the grounds more closely, finding this where your horse was stabled before your second tilt."
Theomore holds up the pin that Raff had procured earlier. "
Smallwood by the looks of it."

[Dunstan Tullison]

Dunstan crosses his arms across his chest and frowns, turning his head toward the moustachoed tourney master\

"
What say you of this?"

[Reader]

Ser Fredryk joined Dunstan in a thorough search of the horse before Ser Theomore produced his "
evidence"
. At times, he came within a whisker of detecting the ruse, but the wily Theomore and Raff had covered their tracks well.

"
Aye, the shoe looks to have been interfered with. Could be foul-play, could be an incompetent smith."


He raised an eyebrow at Ser Theomore - he was suspicious of the man, with good reason, and in time would have reason to grow more suspicious.

[url=Awareness (Notice) +assist][/url]: 4d6k3+1 15

Then, the "
evidence"
!

"
A queer thing. But Ser Theomore, you drew Lord Smallwood, not Lord Tullison. My lord, you must know I would never allow harm to come to house Tully, or any of its houses. Particularly not a house directly related by blood."


He bows deeply to Lord Tullison.

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Well, that is the thing, ser. I watched my lord nephew's joust against Lord Charlton, and he sent him flying out of his saddle as if nothing was amiss."
Theomore muses. "
And we keep our horses in camp usually, so it would make more sense were it to happen between the rounds."


"
I don't think Lord Smallwood came here, and it would seem a weird thing for this to be some sort of revenge, especially against another horse than mine own."
For certain, they both had black horses, but Theomore rode a destrier. "
The Smallwoods are somewhat numerous I believe, might be a page or squire serving another?"

[Dunstan Tullison]

Dunstan was mad at the prospect of someone cheating to gain advantage over him. At the second thought, he started believing his horse did in fact ride much worse than usual.

Accepting Ser Frederyk's bow with a fast head nod in a yeah, yeah sort of way he asked

"
So, who is his squire? If the man is ready to cheat why would he be under ordering his squire to do this"
he said and pointed to the horse.

[Reader]

Ser Fredryk stroked his moustache as he tried to recall who squired for Ser Garibald the Grey, Lord Dunstan's conqueror.

"
I do believe the man who bested you is served by a Smallwood, name escapes me. Ser Garibald himself is a knight of honour, and surely his squire would not boldy take it upon himself to conduct such antics?"


"
Do you intend to accuse Ser Garibald? There are troubling signs here, but I saw no evidence of Lord Dunstan's horse moving poorly during the match itself. This may have simply been intended to trip him on a later ride."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
All I know, ser."
Theomore remains as stone faced as he usually was at this sort of thing. "
Is that a Smallwood pin has been found where a Smallwood would have no business and that Lord Dunstan's horse was sabotaged."


"
I would not accuse Ser Garibald over such a thing, but I should like to question his squire."

[Reader]

"
Lord Tullison?"
Ser Fredryk looks to Dunstan, half expecting further brusque treatment from the bold young noble.

[Dunstan Tullison]

Dunstan does not let go of a frown on his face

"
Something is not right. Fetch the squire Ser Frederyk. Squires get renown for serving a tourney champion as well, he might have tried to gain thaat renown by tampering with my horse."
he says

Ser Garibald seemed honest but he might harbor some secrets, or perhaps that squire is a cheating welp? the young Lord thought.

[Reader]

Ser Garibald "
the Grey"
knight of house Paege arrived promptly. Brother-in-law to Eoric Tully, he enjoys a forthright reputation, but with a hard pragmatic streak underneath.

He young squire Donnel followed behind, trying to look brave but failing to conceal some nervousness.

"
What seems to be the issue here Lord Tullison?"
he asked. "
Our match was a fine thing and close run. I hear dark mutterings of a thrown or damaged shoe or some such, but no signs of such during our match."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
If you would take a look, ser?"
Theomore's nod towards Roland tells the boy to show him, giving him enough time to see that the shoe indeed had been tampered with. "
And then we found this..."
he holds up the pin.

[Reader]

"
This is not my first tourney Ser, nor yours. Men of our experience, or Ser Fredryk's, would have spotted if there were anything amiss."


"
As for the pin, they fall all the time. Donnel swears he knows nothing of this, and I believe him."


"
More likely some enemy of the Princess means Lord Dunstan harm, house Tullison has been unstinting in its support for her."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Well, ser. I for one did notice something, so I went to have a look."
Theomore seems stern. "
And I found a tampered shoe and an acorn pin in a place where no Smallwood had any business being."


"
Or do you claim this one is not yours, Donnel?"
Theomore takes two steps towards the squire, with a sinister flicker in the eyes. "
Because otherwise, how do you account for us finding it here?"
Another step and he almost towers above the boy, having learned well from the prince. "
If you are keeping something from us, then I shall be satisfied with whatever discipline Ser Garibald finds fitting if you speak truly now. If you are full of deceit, and I learn so later...then that will not be the case."


[url=Deceptive Intimidate][/url]: 5d6k4+3 23

[The real intrigue (if we come to that, will be against Fredryk here, I'm not going to go after Garibald, just messing with his squire to gain an edge for future compromise. Though he does try to get the boy to break down in a false confession.]

[Dunstan Tullison]

Dunstan eyes the squire with a grumpy look on his face, his arms still crossed over his chest.

[Reader]

Donnel quails before Theomore, eyeing him as if he were the Stranger himself - he seems about to speak, stammering, but the words won't come out.

Ser Garibald interposes himself.

"
Leave the boy Ser Theomore. On my honour as a knight he swears he has done nothing, and I believe him. Neither Ser Fredryk or myself saw anything untoward."


"
Lord Tullison, did you notice anything queer about your mount during the ride itself? By the Seven, this seems intended to set us against one another, and none too subtly."


Ser Garibald, a brave and resolute man briefly appears uncertain, glancing around his present company.

[Awareness (empathy) 8]

[Dunstan Tullison]

[url=Awareness (Empathy)][/url]: 2d6 9

OOC: Waiting for the result to post

[Reader]

[OOC: Ser Garibald is worried someone seeks to set black against black, but is unwilling to say so in so many words in front of Ser Fredryk Vance]

[Theomore Tullison]

[url=Awareness][/url]: 3d6 11

"
Then someone must have planted it there, ser."
Theomore strokes his chin, as to ponder as to who could ever do such a thing? "
But I do not believe you would ever condone such a thing, and so it would be an injustice to pursue a forfeit."


"
But perhaps it would be prudent to call the match a draw in light of recent findings? With Ser Garibald being ruled to advance?"
An old trick, make everyone worried about how to deal with the situation, then present a very reasonably way out of it, then offer a small caveat. "
It is after all, not uncommon that some jousters are unfit to ride again on the morrow after six tilts."

[Reader]

Ser Garibald the Grey seems content with this outcome.

"
Done, and with the offending horse returned without ransom in the name of the Seven and friendship."


Donnel seems most relieved of all, blinking back tears after Ser Theomore's tirade.

Ser Fredryk simply shrugs in acquiescence, suspicious but keen to return to the tourney, with all participants seemingly happy with arrangements.

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