Fire and Brimstone D5 (OPEN to all Mid evening)

[Yoren longshore]

Fire will burn until there is ony ashes left, men will live until they have burned all lifeforce and their muscles dissapear under layers of skin. In the same way the flesh deteriorates from under the skin, the wine in Yorens wineskins has been all drained.

Yoren stands in the small tent he has put up, sweating profusely from his body trying to rid him of the toxins. He dons his biggest robe, to keep as much of his sweating face as possible out of sight, before he splashes his face in water and walks unto his jury-rigged stage.

The stage consists of little more than a few roughly hewn benches dragged from all over the longshore camp into a semi circle around a great pyre. Even though Yoren has prepared himself that the crowds would be smaller than those in Essos, he cannot help but feel disheartened by the amount of benches not occupied. He recoups quicly however and starts his first speech wothout his mentor present.

He walks up to the pyre before he starts the service in a surprisingly amiable tone. The Fire and Brimstone is not present. He has no position of height to look down at the people from unlike the septons.
He simply stand before the bonfire and starts speaking:

"
More than a century ago Aegon the conqueror came to Westeros from across the narrow sea."

He pauses briefly:
"
He brought a thought of unity to Westeros previously unheard of. He united us all under his banners, but why? Most of you know that the old Valyrians met their doom. They had rivers of Molten rocks under their kingdom. All major lines but the Targaryens were completely decimated by this fell event. Why did the Targaryens escape and not the others, some might ask."


Yoren takes a sip of water, turning away to hide a grimace as he does so.

"
Because they had knowledge no others had. The story starts back before Aegon had been born. Daenys the dreamer was a woman gifted with prophesies from R'hllor himself. He saw that the Valyrians did acts so deplorable that only the fiercest flames could clean Valyrias name: They held slaves. Large amounts of slaves were sent to die in the mines under Valyria. R'hllor knew that not all Valyrians were wicked by nature, so he gave Daenys her dreams, so that she could save the people who were deserving. She saved her family and a few others, and after they had reached refuge on Dragonstone, the biggest cataclysm the world has seen happened. R'hllor left nothing of Valyria, but a few slaves whom he saw to be good. These slaves found their way to other cities and spread all over Essos. These were amongst the first to see the greatness of R'hllor and they started to worship The red god that had saved them.
They started consulting with the flames, and R'hllor answered these first disciples and told them to write Truth of the world. For days, for months even for years they did just this. Many went insane from all the information they were granted, but some endured. These texts have survived to this day, and they tell the truth of R'hllor."


Yoren stops, turning around for a drink while wincing from the pounding head of his. When he turns around the mask is on again:

"
However, all these texts takes years to read, so to make this accessible to all: R'hllor reminds us of the truth through the flames, just like the original Writers got their information."


Yoren smiles and steps a little away from the flames so that all may see them. He then shouts:
"
Lord of light Protect us from the darkness, for the night is cold and full of terrors!"


As Yoren speaks the last words a great, although brief sheet of flame, as tall as a man and twice as wide, appears from his hands.
Then he says: "
R'hllor has blessed us, the cermon is over."

He remains in front of the fire, however, in case anyone has queries.

OOC
Anyone feel free to interact, either after or even during, if that is ehat you want, I cannot stop you...

[Ser Jorah Holt]

Ser Jorah sat and listened. He had heard stories of Rhillor and considering his life as a worshipper of the seven in a house devoted to the Old Gods and his mother coming from Dorne, he had learned to keep an open mind.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

As requested, Corrine attended the sermon, though she had not know until Yoren spoke the nature of the meeting. She listened with curiosity, though she was not of the same faith.

An Ironborn who worships R'hllor. Most curious!

She beckoned for him to come speak with her, once it was clear his speech was done.

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth sat next to Ser Jorah, listening carefully to Yoren's words. His faith in the old gods was secure, considering R'hllor little more than an intellectual curiosity. More than anything, he was here to support his friend. He claims that R'hllor is responsible for the doom of Valyria. A bold claim, but not too dangerous. Hopefully.

Still, claiming that his god drove some of his earliest adherents insane is perhaps not the best sales pitch to make.

Daveth's eyebrows shoot up at the pyrotechnic display. I doubt a god would grant such a power solely for use as parlour tricks. I wonder if anyone's tried to weaponise these priests over in the Free Cities.

I wonder what the true purpose of these 'blessings' is.

I wonder what a god who can -maybe- shatter a country actually *wants*.

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren obliges and after he comes to sit next to Corrine, motioning for Daveth to come join them if he wished. "
What do you think?"
Yoren then lowers his voice, leaning closer: "
How did you like my tribute to you?"
He winks to her, before continuing more seriously: "
Was the meeting with your mother as bad as feared?"

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth waits for Lady Corrine to signal her assent before joining them. It would not do to intrude if the lady wishes their talk to be private.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine gives Daveth a little nod to indicate he is welcome to join them, and smiles courteously.

"
Forgive my ignorance, my lord Yoren, but I did not recognise anything specific to me. Likely, I simply do not know the subtleties of your wording well enough, I apologise. What reference were you making?"

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren winks: "
words may be a good thing to dedicate to ladies, however, I thought that I should capture your Fiery nature, and that was what I thought I would dedicate to you."

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth joins them. "
Yoren, my congratulations;
Lady Corrine, a pleasure to meet you."


(OOC: At which point, I'm off to bed. Sorry. Pretend I'm listening attentively, but not saying much for the moment. )

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
A pleasure to meet you too,"
she greets Daveth.

"
Ahh, I see,"
she exclaims to Yoren. "
I have never thought of myself as a fiery person. That, I think, is why I did not recognise myself, my lord."


She looks apologetic, though amused.

"
What gives you that impression?"

[Yoren longshore]

"
It's all in your eyes. The eyes are the windows to the soul. This is why you would benefit from travelling, to calm that tempest that you sometime have to hold back."
Yoren tells her.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
It's all in your eyes. The eyes are the windows to the soul. This is why you would benefit from travelling, to calm that tempest that you sometime have to hold back."
Yoren tells her.

"
Goodness! I have fire in my eyes and I am holding back a tempest too!"
she exclaimed in a playful tone. "
It seems I am quite the tumult of elements! You are astute in seeing that I do not fit exactly into my expected role, however. It seems a little like R'hllor's faithful see fire in everything though. How do you reconcile the flame and the sea? Do your men accept ypur dichotomy?"

[Yoren longshore]

"
The truth is that I am surprised that no one has put an axe through my head yet. They are not too happy about it, but we are getting there, slowly but surely they will learn. I think they just need a little extra time."
Looking out at the group he adds: "
I am actually a little surprised how easily it has gone thus far."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Tread carefully, my lord Yoren,"
Corrine cautioned softly. "
People often fear that which is different, and fear often begets violence. Just because no axe has found your head yet does not mean that none are ready to strike. After what happened to your brother Rodrric, how do you know you can trust those closest to you?"

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren looks at her: "
true, I can say dozens of people who want me dead, and the axe can come from everywhere. However, if I amimpeded by fear of that, then it will be more likely that soneones axe finds my head... That is one of the reasons why we will join your campaign. This way I may take on only a few hundred men at a time."
Yoren smiles: "
How was your mother today? Did your meeting turn out well for you."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
It went worse than I'd hoped, but better than I'd feared,"
Corrine replied, her head bowing sadly for a moment. She drew a neatly rolled piece of parchment from her sleeve, handing it to him.

"
Suffice to say, you will have to make do with my signature."

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth sits, listening attentively, not seeking to interrupt, but nodding in support at Lady Corrine's warnings. But it's not the possibility that he's unaware of the threat that concerns me. It's the possibility that he might not *care*.

Also, 'That is one of the reasons why we will join your campaign.' he says. Yet Ser Baelon said they weren't anywhere near that desperate yesterday. I wonder, have things deteriorated so quickly, or is this simply a lack of coordination on the Marsten's part? Or something else? Well, not like I can ask. Just something to file away.

[Nathaniel Mason]

Nathan stood listening nearby. Despite the fire, Yoren's words chilled him.

The Red God claimed the shadow, but the shadow could not be claimed by any God. The shadow was a battleground between the light and the dark. It was in the shadow that good and evil strove for supremacy. Nathan had spent enough time in the shadow to know that beyond doubt.

There was also shadow in men's souls. That place were every man struggled with his wickedness and his greater ideals. There was good and evil in the hearts of every man. Some strove to conquer that wickedness, some reveled in it, some, like him, sought balance. If R'hllor had brought down destruction upon the Valaryans, he may have purged the world of their evil, but he had extinguished all the good as well.

If only those who worshiped the Lord of Light were spared and all others perished, then R'hllor was a jealous vengeful God.

After Yoren's speech is over, Nathan melts back into the night. Somehow, the shadow is more welcome to him right now than the fire.

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren offers a seat to Daveth asking him briefly before hearing Corrines response: "
Did you bring Loreia with you tonight? And what did you think of my dissemination? we all know that hearsay about Valyria has to be taken with a grain of salt, did i go beyond what would be classified as reasonable behaviour? It is of course not a scholarly approach i had tonight, but was it passable?"

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyneth also haunts the fringes of the small 'audience' to the display, though she doesn't come closer or sit down. She's had more than enough ironborn for one Tourney, thank you.

But the worship of R'hallor is a thing of Essos, and therefore must be observed, if only at a proper distance.

She notes Corrine sitting among the few though, and is surprised...and curious enough to linger and continue her observations.

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren looks concerned at her: "
is anything the matter, may I help you in any way, with whatever you beseeched your mother for?"
Yoren takes the sheet of paper daintily and looks at it: "
With this we will hopefully avoid being attacked by all hotheaded nobles in the riverlands, thanks."

Yoren nods to her.

OOC
if I see Gwyneth lurking around I would ask her to join us, but it is up to Gwyneth wether she gets seen:)

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

(she ain't hiding, just keeping back )

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Thank you for your concern, but all will be well, I'm sure. She may not like my choice, but she can do nothing to change it. I would like a word in private though, once you are not busy speaking with your audience. There is something you may be able to help with."

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren turns his head slightly, nodding towards Gwyneth he asks Corrine: "
is that not a Marsten too? I believe I've met her. We may of course have a talk whenever you want, my congregation is not so big that they need me to keep watch of them."
He smiles reassuringly, carefully patting her arm: "
Your relations with your mother will improve with age "

[Dunstan Tullison]

Dunstan walks in to the event, drawn by the crowd.

"
What's all this ruckus?"
he jests, unaware that it might insult someone, "
Someone put down that fire fast, it's bloody hot already!"
. Sam the guard chuckles and the two of them sit down on the ground to share a skin of wine, brought especially for this occasion.

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