The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 20, 2016 19:10:47 GMT
*** It was Ser Sebastian Florent who relayed the history of the building they traveled towards. "I can't tell you much about House Hellebore. They're no longer a concern of our heraldry lessons and I believe their old lands have been split between smaller houses. But I remember our old Maester discussing them once. Old Lord Albus Hellebore had been a great admirer of Queen Rhaenyra. After her death, he used his connections with the Alchemists' Guild to acquire several barrels of wildfire and would have burned the city down in his mad grief, had it not been for the conscience of his sworn sword. I recall Maester Roland suggesting that the wildfire plot was in fact a farce, and that the sworn sword slew his master over some petty matter. You see, no one ever found a single barrel of wildfire on the grounds of Hellebore Manse and the pyromancers denied their involvement." "And because it was the Moon of the Three Kings, the city was such a mess, no one could prove one way or the other." Added Ser Malkym. "Exactly. Hellebore's only son died during the Dance, so the knight who slew Albus Hellebore was also a natural inheritor, if he had sworn to the right king. He didn't, of course, so the manse has just been sitting here for a hundred years." "You know a surprising amount about this house." "Not really. My father and Maester Roland spent a lot of time looking at legal precedents before supporting Daemon Blackfyre. Not everything we do is just to spite the Tyrells." "But you did join the blacks just because Leo Longspear backed Daeron, right?" "Well... Yes. But it was still the just and proper action." "Of course, my lord." *** The house itself was the size of a small fortress. On all sides, the grounds provided enough of a buffer space that absurdly, Hellebore Manor seemed to exist separately from King's Landing. The gate was long gone, no doubt scavenged and put to better use somewhere. Upon the frosty ground, the party could see several small tents and encampments marking the squatters and dregs of society who stayed here when all other doors had been closed. The ancient manse itself seemed to tower over it's neighbors, like some mountain where where the damned took shelter. 'Stranger's Hill was a very apt title, in both secular and spiritual means. ![](http://www.needtoconsume.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/PeakyBleeder-600x338.jpg) The band of knights and would be knights can make out several hints of light through the windows on the upper levels.
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Post by Ethan Flatrivers on Jul 20, 2016 20:49:27 GMT
Nyles considered it bad strategy to have a literal criminal fortress inside your city walls, but who was he to decide the architectural layout of the capital? He ran his hand through his hair in the cold winter wind. "Well this will be fun," he said sarcastically. "I guess we go in and ask questions later?" He put his hand on his sword's hilt but didn't draw it until the assault commenced. With a building this size, housing what could be a veritable army, and no reinforcements permitted, well, proper strategy had to be thrown out the door. Violence of action would determine the success or failure of this mission.
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Post by Ethan Flatrivers on Jul 20, 2016 23:11:27 GMT
67 sword Plate Shield Whatever lingering injury may apply
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Ser Richard
Guardsman
Ornaga
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Post by Ser Richard on Jul 21, 2016 0:56:24 GMT
Richard would follow the watch knight in. This shit had dragged in long enough.
Plate Swords 96 Horsemanship 80 Agility 80 Off hand weapon Dark sister
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The Raven
Administrator
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Post by The Raven on Jul 21, 2016 2:25:23 GMT
Nyles Blackfort -Swords (+5 Against Leather): 67 -Small Blades (+5 in Tight Quarters): 32 -Leather (10 Points) -Chain (40 Points) -Full Plate (Chain +40 points): Check -Shield (20 Points): Check -Command (Land): 60 -Stealth (Includes Concealment and Disguise): 30 -Observation (can be used to detect lies as well as help determine disposition among its more obvious uses): 32 -Medical (Includes Poison Creation): 25 -Survival (Includes Tracking and Hunting): 20
Ser Richard Blackfort -Sword (+5 Against Leather) 86 -Chain (40 Points) -Plate(40 Points) -Off-Hand Weapon (20 Points) -Observation 47 -Agility 80 -Strength 10
Ser Harlan Hawick 81 Swords (+5 Against Leather) 31 Unarmed combat (-10 against leather, -20 against chain, -30 against plate) Chain (40 Points) Shield (30 Points) 42 Observation
Ser Sebastian Florent Plate Sword and shield Excellent fighter
Ser Malkym and his five men Chainmail Various weaponry Unproven skill Phenomenal grooming (Ser Malkym only)
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The Raven
Administrator
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Joined - December 2015
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Post by The Raven on Jul 21, 2016 18:59:24 GMT
Ser Malkym took the lead, if for no other reason than he knew the place, with his men taking the other flanks. In the yard, in what must have once been a truly magnificent garden, several vagabonds watch the party while wrapping their blankets around themselves. None of them move or cry out a warning to whoever may currently reside inside Stranger's Hill. They were simply content to not have their heads bashed in for vagrancy. There are at least two dozen of them, including women and small children. Several are missing limbs and bits of their face. It would be tempting to pass them off as common thieves who have been punished, but after the long war, many have found themselves unable to work due to their injuries.
They reach the great oak door without incident. "New locks..." Mutters Malkym. "Jasper." One of the watchmen stepped forward and produced a lockpicking kit. His fingers had the practiced grace of an expert as he set to work on the door.
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Ser Richard
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Ornaga
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Post by Ser Richard on Jul 21, 2016 20:07:33 GMT
Richard carefully followed the group, looking at the beggars and vagrants with a measure of distrust. He scanned the windows and doors of the courtyard, looking for threats (Observation 47)
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The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 21, 2016 21:53:02 GMT
(Success) He spies movement in one of the highest windows, a dark shape sliding past a light of some sort. It vanishes only seconds after the Kingsguard sees it.
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Ser Richard
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Post by Ser Richard on Jul 21, 2016 22:07:53 GMT
"Top levels occupied" he murmurs to the group, keeping his eyes up "may have seen, maybe not."
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Post by Ethan Flatrivers on Jul 21, 2016 22:16:16 GMT
"This wasn't ever a stealth mission anyway," Nyles noted. "Best make it quick,". He claps his helmet on and prepares for battle.
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The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 22, 2016 19:50:52 GMT
Jasper, a short bearded fellow with a shattered nose, talked quietly to himself. "These are nice locks. Lysene, maybe. Lovely craftsmanship." There was a clear clicking sound as he worked. "Should have got the Volantene model. Designed to hold back slave riots. Some of them even come in Valyrian steel. You know how many locksmiths can use Valyrian steel? Two. That's how many. And they're as rich as Lannisters." The clicking sound stopped and Jasper stepped away from the door, putting away his kit before preparing his crossbow.
Sebastian, sword and shield already in hand, spoke first. "I already used all of my finest speeches in the war. So just take my word when I say I really hope we all live through this."
"I'll second that conceit." Nodded Malkym, who had his shield before him. He turned to the Blackforts. "On your mark."
(Next post, I start rolling for massive violence.)
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Post by Ethan Flatrivers on Jul 22, 2016 20:03:35 GMT
Nyles has less use for speeches than he does for stealth now so he is happy to have it on with. He grips his shield and holds it before him to throw open the door, hoping the thick wood will stop any surprises. As soon as the door is open he'll rush in with his sword drawn and prepare for a slaughter party. He hopes he's the one on the giving end of the slaughter.
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Ser Richard
Guardsman
Ornaga
Posts - 387
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Joined - May 2016
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Post by Ser Richard on Jul 22, 2016 23:47:40 GMT
Richard prepared himself for massive violence. Apparently, it was about to happen.
"Go fast, go hard, get the owner" he said quietly. He drew both swords. If they had surprise on their side this would go well. If they didn't... well, maybe crossbow bolts wouldn't be so bad. He'd never had the pleasure.
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Vex
Lord Paramount
what is this
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Post by Vex on Jul 23, 2016 9:33:46 GMT
Harlan drew his sword without any further reflection and kept his shield steady. He was not going to like the next part, but sometimes one had to initiate violence to keep peace.
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The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 23, 2016 17:23:42 GMT
Round One
There is no light in the great chamber, beyond the daylight leaking through the windows, most of which are long shattered. The ancient floor makes an irritating noise when one sets their foot upon it. One can imagine this might be what Harrenhal looks like, if one has never witnessed the actual scale of that old castle.
Two arrows strike Nyles's shield before he even gets a good look at the foyer. Another grazes Harlan's helmet, making a dull ringing sound in his ears, while Richard actually cuts an arrow in half with Dark Sister, a flash of Valyrian steel in the half dark.
The fifth arrow enters a Watchman's mouth just as he is crying out a battle roar. He falls backwards, grasping the arrow while his comrades try to bypass their fallen companion. Jasper screams, catching him and laying his choking friend before stepping over his body.
(No PC injuries. +1 to Richard's Agility. NPC Watchman dies lingering but certain death.)
After the first hail of arrows, the party sees the band of assassins greeting them to Stranger's Hill. About fifteen yards away, the five archers prepare to fire again while six more fellows in leather charge to hold back the tide and buy their comrades time to aim and fire another salvo.
Unlike the addled peasants from the Great Sept, these men are brandishing steel, and seem to have some grasp of where the pointy end goes.
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