Vex
Lord Paramount
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Post by Vex on Jun 30, 2016 14:54:51 GMT
Dacey nodded. "Thank you for your help. I trust the children will benefit from this, most likely the village as well."
She bid all three farewell, and left.
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Post by Edwyn Blackfort on Jul 22, 2016 23:07:48 GMT
///////
2nd day of the 3rd moon of the year.
The Castellan of Harrenhal, accompanied by a couple of guards, pays a visit to Ser Valarr Rivers.
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The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 23, 2016 1:07:01 GMT
Eventually, the door is opened by a boy of perhaps ten years. He looked up at Edmure and his men with a fierce expression, dressed as some sort of low cost page. "'Oo calls upon the Knight of 'Arrentown?" He seemed to be challenging them somehow, grasping a training sword at his side.
A guard laughs. "Oy, Petyr! Get His Grace up and about. The Castellan has come calling for him."
The boy saluted smartly and ran inside, leaving the door open for them to enter. The first room had a round table, with a large fruit pie of some sort in the center, untouched. Before long, the massive Ser Valarr arrived from some backroom. "My lord!" He managed a bow which made one uncomfortably conscious of what men must feel after surviving an avalanche.
"I hope your duties run smoothly like the grains in an hourglass. But what might Valarr the Vigilant do to assist regardless?"
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Post by Edwyn Blackfort on Jul 23, 2016 1:40:37 GMT
"Ser Valarr." Edmure greeted the fat knight, inwardly amused at the knight's air of grandeur, although he was careful not to show it. He suspected that the man took himself quite seriously.
"You are no doubt aware that my brother Lord Belric has left for Riverrun to swear fealty to Lord Tully. He has charged me to govern these lands in his absence. And govern them I will. It is therefore time, Ser, that we act to address the level of lawlessness and general crime in both the town and on the fringes of our lands. A man of your influence and standing will no doubt be only too pleased to assist I'm sure."
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The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 23, 2016 3:24:24 GMT
"Of course." He lead Edmure into the backroom. Here, the walls were covered in books, the desk was covered in a mix of old grease and new documents, and the finest chair in the house was to be found, a luxurious behemoth that somehow held Valarr's weight as he sat down.
"It has been too long since this town knew genuine peace."
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Post by Edwyn Blackfort on Jul 23, 2016 3:46:12 GMT
Edmure seated himself.
"So in your opinion what needs to be done Ser Valarr? You know Harrentown better than I. What level of lawlessness exists currently? Can the townpeople walk the streets safely at night? Can they go about their lawful business safely during the day?"
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The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 23, 2016 4:00:30 GMT
Valarr stroked his crimson beard as he considered the question. "I trust the character of our neighbors. The occasional drunkard, a little prostitution behind closed doors, yet nothing worrisome. But the walls surrounding the town... The wood is visibly rotting in many areas. And there are always more bandits out of sight. Not to mention these rumors we keep hearing from Atranta." The knight shook his head. "And we were just accepting the illusion of peace."
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Post by Edwyn Blackfort on Jul 23, 2016 4:37:54 GMT
"So extra patrols in the town during the day or night are not needed.?" replied Edmure. "I was considering them, if you had the view that they were necessary. Your talk of bandits is disturbing. We have already destroyed one band and have secured the clay pits. You say there may be more?"
He leaned forward expectantly. "Would you know of any of these bandits that infiltrate the town to visit loved ones? Family...a mistress perhaps? Or visit to purchase supplies? Or visit to keep an eye on matters that might affect their position? Or for any other myriad of reasons?"
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The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 23, 2016 17:48:28 GMT
"Wherever there is poverty, there is always desperation and lawlessness. And a Lord who assumes the existence of criminals is better prepared to maintain the laws of gods and men, regardless of how prepared those criminals are themselves. So yes, I would set up patrols, at least until fortifications are properly arranged. As for the comings and goings of such lewd and violent men."
He rubbed his belly while pondering the second question. "Black Bronn and his six sons were once native to this township before Ser Bruce Whent drove them off. Today they usually harass travelers on the road from King's Landing. A monstrous family. Monstrous. But they have not returned here since the war's end. Two of the boys have wives and children in Harrentown, but you will find no conspiracy in their houses. Catelyn and Jeyne despise and fear their kindred far more than we could ever manage. But with Bruce dead and his uncle stripped of command, these villains might think to return."
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Post by Edwyn Blackfort on Jul 24, 2016 0:43:29 GMT
Edmure nodded. "I'll give the orders for patrols to begin when I return to the castle. Repairing the fortifications with stone will have to wait until the quarry is up and running and we can build up our reserves of stone. However in the meantime I will order that wood be cut for temporary repairs to the parts of the walls that need it most."
He leaned back in his seat. "This Black Bronn you speak of. If he and his sons were once townsmen, why did Bruce Whent drive them away? Were they law-breakers before then?"
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The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 24, 2016 5:26:10 GMT
"Officially, they were scouts in Lady Lothston's army like our good blacksmith, but more often, they were what you would call common highwaymen. They would approach caravans between our own vassals, present the seal of a Lothston rider, then massacre the lot after a night of drinks on the road."
Ser Valarr straightened his fine moustachios in thought. "The local people only learned all this after their actual expulsion. Prior to that, Bronn's family were wife beaters, reprobates, brawlers, thieves, drunkards, bullies, extortionists, and rapists. You'll know them by their various missing fingers and brands."
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Post by Edwyn Blackfort on Jul 24, 2016 6:57:36 GMT
Edmure smiled. He could not help but be reminded of his uncle's recently departed bonny boys.
"Very descriptive Ser Valarr. So their band numbers at least seven. Possibly more. I think it is time to make the road to Kings Landing much safer. I take it they tend to inhabit the woods adjacent to the road?"
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The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 25, 2016 3:10:02 GMT
"Aye..." He twisted in his chair to call out, "Lysa!"
A girl of perhaps ten arrived in the room. "Ser Valarr?"
"Second bookcase from the window. Third shelf. Tall, thin gray book on your left hand side."
Lysa walked past Edmure to pick up the volume and hand it to the Magistrate, who made no effort to move from his chair. "Thank you, my girl."
After a moment of flipping through the pages, Valarr presented it to Edmure. The book was entitled Ser Harry Lothston's Guide to the Riverlands, and appeared to contain several intricate maps and sketches of the local region. The opened section was a description and illustration of a road entitled Septon's Passage, surrounded by forest on both sides.
"Septon's Passage is about halfway between the Kingsroad and Harrenhal, a few miles north of Shoreham. Much of our trade comes through that route, which makes it a popular choice for bandits. Not only Black Bronn and his kin, but they are certainly fond of it."
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Post by Edwyn Blackfort on Jul 25, 2016 7:34:21 GMT
Edmure studied the page that Valarr had shown him, committing it to memory. He looked for some sort of scale on the map but could not find it.
"So Septon's Passage is about fifteen to twenty miles east of Harrenhal?" he inquired.
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The Raven
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Post by The Raven on Jul 25, 2016 7:58:15 GMT
"Indeed. There are signs clearly marking it."
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